Patents Assigned to ZF Lemförder
  • Patent number: 6444330
    Abstract: A sandwich component, which comprises at least two massive metallic sheet metal parts located opposite one another and a metal powder layer to be expanded, which is arranged between the sheet metal parts, is shown, in which the sandwich component has additional reinforcing elements in individual cross-sectional areas, and the said reinforcing elements are connected in a positive-locking manner to the expanded metal powder layer surrounding same, and the said metal powder layer is in turn connected to the outer, massive metallic sheet metal parts in such a way that it cannot be detached without destruction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventor: Olaf Abels
  • Patent number: 6435052
    Abstract: A gearshift lever (1) for an automatic transmission in a motor vehicle is provided with a knob (4) arranged at the top end of the gearshift lever member. A locking bar (2) is guided axially on the gearshift lever. A manually movable mechanism (5, 7) actuates the locking bar (2) relative to the gearshift lever (1). Two parts of the mechanism (5, 7) have teeth (6, 8) engaging one another. These parts are arranged such that a movement of at least one of the parts (5) toward the locking bar (2) brings about an axial movement of the locking bar (2). At least one of the two toothed segments (6; 8) extends along a curve, and the effective power ratio through a first of two curve radii is greater than the power ratio of the second radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Mertin Ersoy, Erich Klingenburg, Joerg Rix
  • Patent number: 6431047
    Abstract: A brake power booster with a brake power booster housing has at least one vacuum chamber and at least an additional pressure chamber, into which ambient pressure can be admitted during the actuation of an actuating pedal for the brake system of the motor vehicle. The actuating pedal is connected to the brake power booster. A vacuum can be established in the pressure chamber in the non-operative position of the actuating pedal, wherein the vacuum chamber and the pressure chamber are separated from one another by a displaceable piston. The brake power booster has at least one additional vacuum chamber, which can be connected to the pressure chamber via a switching device. The switching device establishes the connection between the pressure chamber and the additional vacuum chamber during the return of the actuating pedal after the actuation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventor: Metin Ersoy
  • Patent number: 6431782
    Abstract: A corrosion-protected modular unit is disclosed with two components, of which a first metallic component exhibits a socket opening, into which a second component is capable of being inserted at least partially, and the second component is endowed with a sealing element which interacts via an abutment face with the surface of the first component. An anticorrosive element (5) is applied in firmly adherent manner on the surface of the first component between the abutment face (1) of the sealing element (2) and the surface (3) of the first component (4). The process includes the application of a surface-protection layer on the first metallic component (4), machining of a surface region (3.1) of the surface (3) of the first component (4), insertion of a mounting pin (10) into the socket opening (6) of the first component (4), adhesive bonding of the anticorrosive element (5) onto the prepared surface region (3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Manfred Heidemann, Jürgen von Garrel
  • Patent number: 6413915
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a lubricant for a ball-and-socket joint, wherein spherical particles of two different sizes are introduced into an oil or a lubricating grease. The coarser particles act as spacers, which prevent the ball of the ball-and-socket joint from lying on a bearing shell during standstill of the ball-and-socket joint. The finer particles prevent the coarser particles from agglomerating and keep the coarser particles spaced apart from one another and they also keep them distributed in the ball-and-socket joint as a result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventor: Werner Stehr
  • Patent number: 6402262
    Abstract: A motor vehicle brake system actuator has a pedal block with a brake pedal fixed thereon pivotably. A brake power booster with a two-part housing and with a main brake cylinder assembly unit is connected to the brake pedal for the admission of hydraulic power into the individual wheel brakes of the motor vehicle. The pedal block and the brake power booster housing bottom part facing the pedal block are made in one piece from plastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Metin Ersoy, Waldemar Rogowski, Dieter Gröger
  • Patent number: 6394436
    Abstract: A McPherson strut bearing for the upper connection of a McPherson strut in a motor vehicle has an inner part (1) with a central through hole (2) for accommodating the upper end of the McPherson strut. An elastomer body (3) is arranged circularly on the outer circumference of the inner part (1). A cage (4) accommodates the inner part (1) with the elastomer body. An elastic bearing body (5) completely accommodates the cage (4) up to a bilateral opening cross section (6, 7), where at least the cage (4), the bearing body (5) and a circlip (9) surrounding the bearing body are divided in a plane passing through the central longitudinal axis (10) of the McPherson strut bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Schnaars, Ulrich Lux, Peter Kainz, Michael Sand
  • Patent number: 6394433
    Abstract: A two-chamber step bearing with hydraulic damping, especially for mounting engines in motor vehicles, has at least one fluid-filled working chamber and at least one compensating chamber connected thereto by an overflow channel. An additional, blockable spring element (10) is arranged in series after the first hydraulic damping spring element comprising the working chamber (1), the compensating chamber (2) and the overflow channel (11), wherein the spring element (10) is arranged in a separate pretensioning chamber (8), which is connected to the working chamber (1) and the compensating chamber (2) by at least two switching elements (16, 17) which can be controlled independently from one another, and wherein the pretensioning chamber (8) can be filled up with hydraulic fluid for blocking the additional spring element (10) by the vibrations introduced into the two-chamber step bearing from the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Metin Ersoy, Klaus Kramer
  • Patent number: 6386061
    Abstract: A shifting device of a motor vehicle transmission with a selector lever (3) and a kinematic elements (4-9) for transmitting the selection movements to the automatic transmission, wherein the selector lever can be moved in an automatic shift gate for selecting automatic gears and in a sequence shift gate for manually upshifting and downshifting gears. The shifting device (1) has three movement spaces (I, II, III), which are located next to one another and are preferably directed essentially in parallel to one another, and two adjacent movement spaces (I, II and/or II, III) each are provided for different functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventor: Andreas Giefer
  • Patent number: 6378853
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a rubber bearing with different characteristics in the circumferential direction, which is intended for being mounted in a cylindrical mount. The object is to provide a rubber bearing in which comparatively great differences in characteristics can be achieved in different directions and whose design is simplified compared with the prior-art bearings with different characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Helmut Kammel, Axel Sichler
  • Patent number: 6364298
    Abstract: A rubber bearing with radical travel limitation and with a damping agent channel has an inner part with a tubular inner contour, an elastomer surrounding the inner part and connected thereto by vulcanization, and a channel carrier. The channel carrier is made of one or more plastic parts and surrounds the elastomer in some sections and is supported on the elastomer via support elements. Stop surfaces for the radial travel limitation are provided on the inside of the channel carrier. At least one damping agent channel, which connects chambers formed between the elastomer and the channel carrier for receiving a liquid damping agent, is integrated in the outer surface of the channel carrier. In the area of the chambers (7), the channel carrier (3) has recesses (9) for the discharge and the entry of damping agent. The recesses (9), connected to one another by the damping agent channel (10), are arranged on the circumference of the channel carrier (3) in the area of the support elements (8) and opposite the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Andreas Vossel, Frank Meyerink, Joachim Hünecke
  • Patent number: 6350075
    Abstract: A bellows seal (1) on a ball-and-socket joint provided with joint ball and ball pivot (2), especially on a ball-and-socket joint of a chassis bearing, with an elastic bellows has a pivot-side opening and a joint-side opening and axially surrounds the ball pivot (2) of the ball-and-socket joint. A circumferential, elastic and outwardly pointing sealing lip (6), which can be in contact with a sealing surface (7), is provided at the pivot-side opening of the sealing bellows (1). An L-ring, whose first leg (9) points essentially in the axial direction (axial leg) and whose second leg (10) points radially to the outside (radial leg), is provided at the pivot-side opening. The radial leg (10) engages a groove extending on the inside of the sealing bellows (1) or is anchored in it, and the inside of the axial leg (9) is sealingly in contact with an opposite running surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder
    Inventor: Olaf Abels
  • Patent number: 6341915
    Abstract: A rubber-mounted ball-and-socket joint with stress-optimized bearing geometry is provided. The bearing geometry of a ball-and-socket joint mounted in a rubber-metal bearing is changed such that a sufficiently great pivot angle is guaranteed for the pivot pin and the surface of the elastomer is enlarged at the same time to prolong its life. The bearing is extended beyond the radius of the joint ball on its side located opposite the pivot pin projecting from the bearing. The fulcrum point of the bearing and the fulcrum point of the pivot pin mounted in the inner part having an offset in relation to one another in the axial direction, wherein the inner and outer parts of the bearing are conically expanded. The rubber-mounted ball-and-socket joint may have, on at least one side, at least one insert with a Shore hardness lower than that of the elastomer. The insert may be inserted into the elastomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2002
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventor: Helmut Kammel
  • Patent number: 6308942
    Abstract: A two-chamber step bearing with hydraulic damping especially for mounting engines of motor vehicles is presented. It has at least one fluid-filled working chamber and at least one compensating chamber connected to same by a nozzle channel of variable cross section. The cross section of the nozzle channel is changed by means of a first motor-powered actuating drive. The working chamber is provided with a buckling spring, which is integrated in its walls and whose stiffness can be changed by means of a second motor-powered actuating drive. The second motor-powered actuating drive is independent from the first actuating drive. Due to the described design embodiment the two-chamber step bearing can be continuously adapted during the operation of the two-chamber step bearing to both the damping of low-frequency vibrations of large amplitude and the damping of high-frequency vibrations of small amplitude. The bearing is an especially compact and inexpensive design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Metin Ersoy, Ernst-Günter Jördens
  • Patent number: 6308959
    Abstract: An elastic sealing element in the form of bellows, which is used to seal the contact surface between at least two components movable in relation to one another is described, which has low-elasticity contact zones as well as a deformation zone whose elasticity is higher than that of the contact zones, wherein the said deformation zone defines a chamber for accommodating lubricants on its inner side facing the movable components. An overpressure relief means (14) is arranged at least in the area of one of the two low-elasticity contact zones (6 or 7). The overpressure relief means (14) has at least one relief opening (15) connecting the lubricant chamber (11) with the outside of the sealing element (1) and a closing element (16) covering the said relief opening. The closing element (16) is in turn made in one piece with the sealing element (1) and closes the relief opening (15) up to an overpressure limit in the lubricant chamber (11) due to the intrinsic elasticity of the material of the sealing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Dirk Sokolihs, Uwe Petersen
  • Patent number: 6213675
    Abstract: An axial joint and a process for manufacturing an axial joint are described. The axial joint comprises a metallic housing (1) with an opening (2) and with an interior space (9), with a ball pivot (3), which has a joint ball (4) and a pivot pin (5). The joint ball (4) is surrounded for the most part by the housing (1) and a pivot pin neck (5.1) of reduced diameter compared with that of the pivot (5) is present in the transition area between the joint ball (4) and the pivot pin (5), and the pivot pin (5) projects through the opening (2) of the housing. The axial joint also has a bearing shell (6; 6.1, 6.2), which consists essentially of plastic and is arranged between the housing (1) and the joint ball (4), and the metallic housing is made in one piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Rainer Ungruh, Norbert Schmudde, Gerhard Hüneke, Dieter Müller