Patents Assigned to ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
  • Patent number: 7364005
    Abstract: A steering system for a vehicle includes a shaft that is rotatably mounted on a frame in a bearing, the shaft being functionally linked with a steered wheel for adjusting the steering angle thereof, and a structure for axially positioning the shaft in the frame. In order to allow for the shaft of the steering system to be free of backlash in an inexpensive and simple manner, the structure for axially positioning the shaft is configured as a pressure pad which is axially supported on the frame and on the bearing sitting on the shaft without play and which retains the bearing on the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Budaker, Ralf Dangelmaier, Michael Schmidt, Helmut Knoedler, Jüergen Bieber
  • Patent number: 7305901
    Abstract: A rack-and-pinion steering system, in particular for a motor vehicle, has a steering housing and a pinion which is inserted into the steering housing If. A rack whose toothing engages with the pinion is mounted so as to be axially displaceable in the steering housing. The rack-and-pinion steering system has a circulation lubrication system with lubricating oil, an arrangement for conveying lubricating oil from a lubricating-oil reservoir conveying lubricating oil to the toothing engagement location between the rack and the pinion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Franz-Josef Joachim, Jens-Uwe Hafermalz, Rainer Schaenzel, Karl Benkler, Hartmut Specht, Hermann Ocker
  • Publication number: 20070217725
    Abstract: A roller bearing assembly for supporting a shaft axially and radially in a rack includes a roller bearing with a carrier, a portion of which is supported at the rack with an element with elastomeric properties being interposed between a support for the rack and the portion of the carrier. In order to indicate a roller bearing, which supports the shaft axially and radially, and makes an inclined position of the shaft possible without causing straining of the system of shaft, roller bearing and rack, the element with elastomeric properties, viewed in the tangential (circumferential) direction of the roller bearing, has at least a first region, the stiffness of which is different from that of the remaining tangential (circumferential) region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Applicant: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Budaker, Michael Jueschke, Roland Winter, Oliver Hetzel, Michael Hauck, Manfred Weller
  • Patent number: 7258035
    Abstract: The invention relates to a rack and pinion steering device having a rack (1) which is arranged in a housing (4) and is connected at both ends to the steerable wheels via track rods (6) and steering arms, and having a pinion (2) which engages continuously in the rack (1) and is connected to the manual steering wheel via a steering column, and having stop means (10; 11; 12) which are integrated at both ends between the housing (4) and axially movable parts of the rack and pinion steering device and limit the axial movement of the rack (1) in both steering directions, the stop means (10; 11; 12) comprising elastically compliant material (12) which is completely enclosed in nonelastic parts (10; 11) of the stop means (10; 11; 12) which can move axially with respect to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventor: Juergen Bieber
  • Patent number: 7243570
    Abstract: A power-assisted steering with a superimposing gear mechanism enables safe steering behavior independently of the type of transmission used. A mechanical lock is mounted at a part of the transmission, preferably at the screw itself. In the event of a malfunction, this lock acts in addition to the deactivation of an electric motor and reliably prevents it from rotating further in that a locking pin engages elongated hole-shaped grooves. The shape of the grooves has the advantage that the locking pin need not be positioned very precisely. Allowances are thus made for installation tolerances. The development of noise is also reduced since it is very improbable that the locking pin, before it is locked in one of the grooves, would first of all come into contact with an intermediate bridge and thus produce an unpleasant clacking noise. In addition, a diagnostic circuit may be provided which checks the function of the lock before the vehicle is started up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Kuehnhoefer, Rainer Biegert
  • Patent number: 7239104
    Abstract: A method is for compensating for a rotor angle deviation of a motor, which may be used as an actuator, e.g., as a servo actuator, in a steering system. The rotor angle deviation is compensated for by a piecewise linearized control of the difference between a desired rotor angle, which is based on a manual torque and a stored rotor angle, and a measured rotor angle, a control factor of the control being variable as a function of the control range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Arnulf Heilig, Stephan Hiegler, Michael Bischofberger, Dietmar Hiller
  • Patent number: 7232006
    Abstract: A steer-by-wire steering system has a steering wheel actuator and a braking device that acts on the steering column. The braking device is activated when the vehicle steering wheel is to be blocked or at least sharply braked, such as when the steering stop is reached or a wheel goes over the edge of a curb. The braking device functions like a switchable freewheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignees: Robert Bosch GmbH, ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Dominke, Chi-Thuan Cao, Wolfgang Pfeiffer, Klaus-Dieter Leimbach, Werner Harter, Jens Hafermalz, Helmut Knoedler, Wilfried Leutner, Juergen Schuele, Herbert Lohner
  • Patent number: 7197956
    Abstract: A thrust piece unit for rack-and-pinion steering mechanisms, which is integrated into a housing bore of the steering mechanism housing of motor vehicles, in order to keep the pinion in constant intermeshing with the rack, the thrust piece unit comprising a cylinder part, a piston part and two chambers which are matched with one another and are filled with hydraulic medium and which are connected to one another via a replenishing valve and via a throttle point, and overload protection being additionally integrated in the thrust piece unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Juergen Bieber, Rainer Schaenzel, Michael Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20060278465
    Abstract: The invention relates to a steering system (1) for a vehicle, comprising a shaft (4) that is rotatably mounted on a frame (3) in a bearing (2), said shaft being functionally linked with a steered wheel for adjusting the steering angle thereof, and a means (5) for axially positioning the shaft (4) in the frame (3). In order to allow for the shaft (4) of the steering system (1) to be free of backlash in an inexpensive and simple manner, the means (5) for axially positioning the shaft (4) is configured as a pressure pad (6) which is axially supported on the frame (3) and on the bearing (2) sitting on the shaft (4) without play and which retains the bearing (2) on the frame (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Applicant: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Budaker, Ralf Dangelmaier, Michael Schmidt, Helmut Knoedler, Juergen Bieber
  • Patent number: 7147081
    Abstract: A rack-and-pinion steering system for motor vehicles includes a rack, which is mounted in a housing such that it is longitudinally displaceable and kept in constant engagement with a pinion by a pressure piece, is connected at both ends to in each case one steering tie rod in an articulated manner, sealing bellows being fastened on one side to the housing and on the other side to the longitudinally displaceable steering rods. The steering system has a pressure compensation element integrated in the pressure piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventor: Rainer Schaenzel
  • Patent number: 7059838
    Abstract: A control device for a positive displacement pump includes a throttle device and a flow control valve. The flow control valve includes a flow control piston and is configured to regulate an unrequired excess flow of the pump at an increased speed. The throttle device is configured to produce a speed-related pressure differential in a bore section, the pressure differential being responsible for the displacement of the flow control valve and the throttle device. The throttle device is arranged in the pressure outlet (bore section) of the pump and includes a regulating pin connected to the flow control piston, having a control contour configured so that a modifiable through cross-section is created in association with a throttle bore. The control pin has a wider section in an axial displacement area of the throttle device, the area not being involved in control of the volume flow, whereby a minimum obturating section arises in the displacement area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Günter Draskovits, Gerhard Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 7055644
    Abstract: A hydraulic power-assisted steering system, in particular for motor vehicles, has a hydraulic pump for generating hydraulic pressure for assisting the steering and an electromagnetic valve, in addition to a motor for driving the hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump can be decoupled from the motor by a coupling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventor: Johann Merz
  • Patent number: 7048088
    Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system for motor vehicles having a worm gear mechanism is operatively connected to a drive shaft of an electric drive motor. A radial load is applied to the worm by a prestressing device, the prestressing device being configured as a hydraulic pressure device. It is possible to connect the drive shaft to the worm by a coupling, and the worm is mounted in this region by a pivotable bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Bernhard, Achim Schust, Oliver Hetzel, Joachim Fischer
  • Patent number: 7044046
    Abstract: For a hydraulic servo-assisted steering system for motor vehicles, classifying storage of the respectively measured, actual valve characteristic curves is provided and, corresponding to this, energization characteristic curves for the magnetic actuator of the converter are provided, which may be paired in a classified manner in order to compensate for deviations from a predefined set valve characteristic curve, and a testing method for such a hydraulic servo-assisted steering system is provided, in which the loading pressure of the servo actuator is influenced as a function of an input steering torque and in a speed-dependent manner, the speed-dependent influence being effected via the electro-hydraulic converter, whose energization may be set in a manner superimposed on the speed-dependent definition with regard to the correction of tolerances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Uwe Wietzel, Rainer Schaenzel, Andreas Kruttschnitt
  • Patent number: 7040090
    Abstract: For a power assisted steering system for vehicles, in particular passenger cars, there is provided a hydraulic circuit with a servopump, a three-way flow regulator valve which is located at the junction between the pump and a servoactuator and has a measuring throttle, located in the inflow to the servoactuator, as a fixed throttle and an outflow throttle which is located in a bypass of the latter and which determines a variable throttle cross section by means of a piston which is charged alternately as a pressure compensator. The piston, which is charged via an active actuator element, changes the outflow throttle cross section as a function of the current applied in order to change the volume flow which passes via the measuring throttle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2006
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Reuter, Johannes Schmid
  • Patent number: 7035722
    Abstract: In a method for operating a steering system for a motor vehicle, a set point torque predefined value is fed to a servomotor as a function of a manual steering torque generated by the driver, in order to generate a motor actuating torque which is to be transmitted to the steered vehicle wheels. A hysteresis torque is taken into account in the set point torque predefined value in order to compensate for the friction in the steering system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Arnulf Heilig, Michael Boensch, Bernd Rommel
  • Patent number: 7028803
    Abstract: An electromechanical steering system for a vehicle comprises a steering shaft, which is mounted rotatably in an accommodating space of a steering housing, and an electric motor, which, acts upon steering shaft over a transmission. Furthermore, a coil spring housing with a coil spring is provided in the accommodating space. The accommodating space is divided by a partition into a section accommodating the coil spring and a section accommodating the transmission. A damping almond is integrated in the partition. The housing of the coil spring forms part of the partition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Abele, Gerhard Ruf, Stefan Froehlich
  • Patent number: 7028599
    Abstract: In series between pump and tank are two throttle devices, one of which includes a controllable throttle valve having a piston, of which one side supports a valve head, which forms the boundary of an annular gap between an inflow duct and an outflow duct. A hydraulic control path extends from the inflow duct through the throttle opening to the tank, running through a precontrol bore in the piston. To prevent an unwanted leakage fluid stream, one end of the precontrol bore at the annular gap in the region of the inflow duct is positioned so that it remains opened for a closed annular gap, and the other end of the precontrol bore on the other side of the piston is arranged where the piston, in response to the controllable throttle valve being completely opened, pushes against a stop face and, in so doing, automatically closes this other end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventor: Joerg Linser
  • Patent number: 6971408
    Abstract: A power steering system for motor vehicles, fitted with a rotary disk valve and comprising a reaction piston (1) defining an active (2) and a passive reaction chamber (3). A servo pressure can be fed to the reaction chamber (2) in order to modify the actuating force on the steering wheel. A damping piston (4)is arranged on the active reaction chamber (2) in order to receive dynamic oscillations of the reaction pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Ertle, Markus Schuster, Dieter Sauter
  • Patent number: 6958558
    Abstract: An electric motor comprises a stator and a rotor which is rotatably mounted in the stator, the stator having an exciter winding which can be energized via connecting contacts, in a stator housing. The connecting contacts are permanently connected to the stator housing, electrical connecting elements which are accessible from the outside in the radial and axial directions being connected to the connecting contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Jürgen Schüle, Thomas Kühnhöfer, Hans Köhnle, Rolf Martin