Patents by Inventor Achim Link

Achim Link has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6874607
    Abstract: A friction clutch with a pressure plate 6, which is mounted nonrotatably but with freedom of axial movement in a clutch housing 5, this pressure plate 6 being actuated by a pressure spring 7 in the direction toward a clutch disk 8, which can be clamped between the pressure plate 6 and an opposing pressure plate 1. More-or-less radially pretensioned friction springs 18 of a friction damping device are installed between the pressure plate 6 and a component with respect to which the pressure plate 6 can move in the axial direction. The friction springs 18 are mounted on spacer bolts 12, which project axially from the clutch housing 5, these bolts passing through corresponding openings 23 in a diaphragm spring, which serves as the pressure spring 7, the diaphragm spring being mounted on the spacer bolts 12 in such a way that its plane can be tilted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Waldemar Mensch, Achim Link, Rüdiger Berck
  • Patent number: 6723180
    Abstract: A gray cast iron alloy for a friction element of a friction clutch, which may be brought into frictional contact with a clutch disk by a friction surface of the friction element, contains: 3.0-3.4 percent by weight C, 1.8-2.3 percent by weight Si, 0.4-0.8 percent by weight Mn, 0.0-0.35 percent by weight P, 0.0-0.125 percent by weight S, 0.4-0.6 percent by weight Mo, with the remainder comprising iron and production-related impurities and/or additives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Achim Link, Jürgen Kleifges
  • Publication number: 20040050644
    Abstract: A friction clutch with a pressure plate 6, which is mounted nonrotatably but with freedom of axial movement in a clutch housing 5, this pressure plate 6 being actuated by a pressure spring 7 in the direction toward a clutch disk 8, which can be clamped between the pressure plate 6 and an opposing pressure plate 1. More-or-less radially pretensioned friction springs 18 of a friction damping device are installed between the pressure plate 6 and a component with respect to which the pressure plate 6 can move in the axial direction. The friction springs 18 are mounted on spacer bolts 12, which project axially from the clutch housing 5, these bolts passing through corresponding openings 23 in a diaphragm spring, which serves as the pressure spring 7, the diaphragm spring being mounted on the spacer bolts 12 in such a way that its plane can be tilted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Applicant: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Waldemar Mensch, Achim Link, Rudiger Berck
  • Patent number: 6662923
    Abstract: A pressure plate assembly for a friction clutch includes a housing for mounting to a flywheel; a pressure plate, held in the housing with the freedom to move in the same direction as that of a rotational axis (A); a stored-energy element; and a wear-compensating device acting in the path of force transmission between the stored-energy element and the pressure plate, where the wear-compensating device has at least one adjusting element, which can move in an adjusting direction to compensate for wear. A clearance-producing arrangement includes a gripping element provided on the pressure plate, which element comes or can be brought to rest against a blocking element (fixed in position relative to the housing arrangement upon the occurrence of wear. When the housing arrangement is being attached to the flywheel arrangement, the blocking element arrives in state in which it is able to enter into a blocking interaction with the associated gripping element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Johann Dobler, Klaus Gorzitzke, Oswald Grünewald, Winfried Herterich, Jürgen Kleifges, Wolfgang Knauer, Jörg Lampe, Walter Lindner, Achim Link, Gerhard Röll, Reinhold Weidinger, Erwin Ziegler
  • Patent number: 6588566
    Abstract: A pressure plate assembly for a friction clutch includes a housing; a pressure plate held in the housing with freedom to move in the same direction as that in which a rotational axis (A) extends; a stored-energy element; and a wear-compensating device acting in the path of force transmission between the stored-energy element and the pressure plate and/or between the stored-energy element and the housing arrangement, where the wear-compensating device has at least one adjusting element able to move in an adjusting direction to compensate for wear. A clearance-producing arrangement includes at least one gripping element, where the minimum of one gripping element has a body section, one end of which is attached to the assembly consisting of the pressure plate and the housing, between which assembly and the stored-energy element the wear-compensating device acts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Klaus Gorzitzke, Winfried Herterich, Wolfgang Knauer, Walter Lindner, Achim Link, Gerhard Röll, Reinhold Weidinger
  • Patent number: 6588567
    Abstract: A pressure plate assembly for a friction clutch includes a housing, a pressure plate held in the housing arrangement with freedom to move axially, and a stored-energy element transmitting force along a path between the housing and the pressure plate. A wear-compensating device acting in the path of force transmission has at least one adjusting element able to move in an adjusting direction to compensate for wear. At least one spring element pretensions the minimum of one adjusting element for movement in the adjusting direction, where at least certain areas of the minimum of one spring element extend in the circumferential direction relative to the rotational axis (A). A support arrangement supports the area of the spring element extending essentially in the circumferential direction radially from the outside and/or radially from the inside relative to the rotational axis (A).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Klaus Gorzitzke, Winfried Herterich, Wolfgang Knauer, Walter Lindner, Achim Link, Gerhard Röll, Reinhold Weidinger
  • Patent number: 6536575
    Abstract: A clutch disk is provided having a connecting arrangement, by means of which the friction linings can execute a radial movement with respect to the hub rotation axis and/or tilting movement with respect to a plane orthogonal to the hub rotation axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Mario Lory, Klaus Dollhopf, Achim Link, Reinhard Feldhaus, Bernhard Schierling, Norbert Ament, Jürgen Kleifges, Erwin Wack, Jürgen Weth, Bernd Peinemann, Andreas Orlamünder
  • Publication number: 20020079188
    Abstract: A gray cast iron alloy for a friction element of a friction clutch, which may be brought into frictional contact with a clutch disk by a friction surface of the friction element, contains: 3.0-3.4 percent by weight C, 1.8-2.3 percent by weight Si, 0.4-0.8 percent by weight Mn, 0.0-0.35 percent by weight P, 0.0-0.125 percent by weight S, 0.4-0.6 percent by weight Mo, with the remainder comprising iron and production-related impurities and/or additives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Publication date: June 27, 2002
    Applicant: Mannesmann Sachs AG,,,,,
    Inventors: Achim Link, Jurgen Kleifges
  • Patent number: 6409002
    Abstract: A pressure plate subassembly for a friction clutch includes a housing connectable to an abutment arrangement for joint rotation about an axis of rotation, a pressure plate arranged in the housing so that the pressure plate is rotatable together with the housing about the axis of rotation (A) and so that the pressure plate is displaceable relative to the housing in the direction of the axis of rotation, and a force accumulator for generating a pressure force, the force accumulator being supported on the housing and on the pressure plate. The force accumulator is arranged outside the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Andreas Orlamünder, Achim Link, Wolfgang Reiber, Sebastian Vogt
  • Publication number: 20020043439
    Abstract: A pressure plate assembly for a friction clutch includes a housing; a pressure plate held in the housing with freedom to move in the same direction as that in which a rotational axis (A) extends; a stored-energy element; and a wear-compensating device acting in the path of force transmission between the stored-energy element and the pressure plate and/or between the stored-energy element and the housing arrangement, where the wear-compensating device has at least one adjusting element able to move in an adjusting direction to compensate for wear. A clearance-producing arrangement includes at least one gripping element, where the minimum of one gripping element has a body section, one end of which is attached to the assembly consisting of the pressure plate and the housing, between which assembly and the stored-energy element the wear-compensating device acts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Applicant: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Klaus Gorzitzke, Winfried Herterich, Wolfgang Knauer, Walter Lindner, Achim Link, Gerhard Roll, Reinhold Weidinger
  • Publication number: 20020043440
    Abstract: A pressure plate assembly for a friction clutch includes a housing, a pressure plate held in the housing arrangement with freedom to move axially, and a stored-energy element transmitting force along a path between the housing and the pressure plate. A wear-compensating device acting in the path of force transmission has at least one adjusting element able to move in an adjusting direction to compensate for wear. At least one spring element pretensions the minimum of one adjusting element for movement in the adjusting direction, where at least certain areas of the minimum of one spring element extend in the circumferential direction relative to the rotational axis (A). A support arrangement supports the area of the spring element extending essentially in the circumferential direction radially from the outside and/or radially from the inside relative to the rotational axis (A).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2001
    Publication date: April 18, 2002
    Applicant: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Klaus Gorzitzke, Winfried Herterich, Wolfgang Knauer, Walter Lindner, Achim Link, Gerhard Roll, Reinhold Weidinger
  • Publication number: 20020040837
    Abstract: A pressure plate assembly for a friction clutch includes a housing for mounting to a flywheel; a pressure plate, held in the housing with the freedom to move in the same direction as that of a rotational axis (A); a stored-energy element; and a wear-compensating device acting in the path of force transmission between the stored-energy element and the pressure plate, where the wear-compensating device has at least one adjusting element, which can move in an adjusting direction to compensate for wear. A clearance-producing arrangement includes a gripping element provided on the pressure plate, which element comes or can be brought to rest against a blocking element (fixed in position relative to the housing arrangement upon the occurrence of wear. When the housing arrangement is being attached to the flywheel arrangement, the blocking element arrives in state in which it is able to enter into a blocking interaction with the associated gripping element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Publication date: April 11, 2002
    Applicant: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Johann Dobler, Klaus Gorzitzke, Oswald Grunewald, Winfried Herterich, Jurgen Kleifges, Wolfgang Knauer, Jorg Lampe, Walter Lindner, Achim Link, Gerhard Roll, Reinhold Weidinger, Erwin Ziegler
  • Patent number: 6352147
    Abstract: An intermediate disk for a motor vehicle clutch with friction surfaces on both sides includes two disk parts. On the sides of the disk parts remote of the friction surfaces, the disk parts have spacers which laterally define recesses between the disk parts. This arrangement of the intermediate disk provides a large heat-releasing surface even when the intermediate disk has small dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Andreas Orlamünder, Achim Link
  • Patent number: 6302253
    Abstract: Torque transmission unit includes an input shaft and an output shaft with a torsion damping device functionally arranged between the input shaft and an output shaft. A shift clutch is also operatively arranged between the input shaft and the output shaft for selectively varying the torque transmitted from the input shaft to the output shaft. The torsion damping device has at least a primary mass and a secondary mass, the primary mass being effectively connected to the input shaft and the secondary mass being effectively connected to the output shaft. The torque transmission unit further comprises an electric machine with a stator and a rotor effectively connected to the input shaft. At least one of the shift clutch and the torsion damping device is arranged within an annular space delimited by the rotor and the stator of the electric machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Achim Link, Wolfgang Reisser, Sebastian Vogt
  • Patent number: 6202817
    Abstract: A thrust plate assembly for a motor vehicle friction clutch with automatic wear compensation includes a housing fastened to a flywheel for common rotation about an axis of rotation. An axially displaceable pressure plate is connected with the housing so as to be substantially fixed with respect to rotation relative to it and has a friction face on a side facing the flywheel. An axially acting spring device presses the pressure plate toward the flywheel via an axially acting adjusting mechanism and accordingly can clamp a driven part arranged between the pressure plate and the flywheel. At least one play sensor is guided in the thrust plate assembly so as to be substantially axially displaceable against friction. A wear detection portion of the play sensor is axially displaceable in the thrust plate assembly in response to wear and an actuation portion of the play sensor cooperates with the adjusting mechanism for allowing an axial lengthening of the adjusting mechanism in response to wear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Achim Link, Wolfgang Reiber, Wolfgang Knauer, Peter Eichelsbacher
  • Patent number: 6131715
    Abstract: A process for connecting a flywheel with a clutch housing, including the following steps:a) providing the flywheel with a connection portion,b) providing the housing with a substantially cylindrical counter-connection portion, andc) sliding the housing on the connection portion by its counter-connection portion in a sliding direction substantially parallel to an axis of rotation for producing a press connection between the flywheel and housing. Step a) includes making the flywheel available with an insertion area which widens radially in the slide-on direction with respect to the axis of rotation and with a taper area following the insertion area that narrows in diameter in the slide-on direction. Step b) includes making the housing available with an inner dimension in the counter-connection portion, which inner dimension is smaller than an outer dimension of the flywheel in the area of a transition from the insertion area to the taper area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Karl Hormann, Klaus Gorzitzke, Achim Link
  • Patent number: 6050382
    Abstract: A clutch disk having a load torsion oscillation damper and an idling torsion oscillation damper with friction device. At least a part of the idling friction device has an inner toothing for rotationally fixed and play-free engagement with an outer toothing of an inner hub which is designed to be extended in the axial direction with a reduced diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Barbara Ester, Helmuth Weissenberger, Achim Link
  • Patent number: 5984073
    Abstract: A clutch disk with two structural component groups which are arranged so as to be swivelably movable and radially movable relative to another within a defined scope by the intermediary of a guide element which is constructed as a helical spring and which is arranged concentric to the hub and whose turns--considered in the axial direction--are inclined at least in the installed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Norbert Lohaus, Achim Link
  • Patent number: 5941356
    Abstract: A pressure plate subassembly for a motor vehicle friction clutch, which subassembly comprises an application plate or pressure plate which, when assembled in a motor vehicle friction clutch, is connected to a flywheel to rotate jointly around an axis and can be axially displaced with respect to the flywheel. The pressure plate has a friction surface which faces the flywheel, and at least one clearance sensor is provided on the pressure plate. The clearance sensor has an operation lever segment that cooperates with a wear adjustment device, and an axial stop segment which cooperates with the flywheel. The pressure plate subassembly comprises the displacement contrivances, which displacement contrivances prevent a displacement of the clearance sensor, of which there is at least one, with respect to the pressure plate prior to the assembly of the pressure plate subassembly to the flywheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AG
    Inventors: Michael Weiss, Reinhold Weidinger, Achim Link, Andreas Orlamunder, Uwe Sahlmuller
  • Patent number: 5909789
    Abstract: A hub body for clutches, especially friction clutches in motor vehicles, with internal toothing for connection to a gear input shaft and with at least one encircling shoulder extending radially outward or with elements spaced in the circumferential direction and extending radially and axially for connection to a take-along disk of the clutch. The hardness curve in the shoulder or in the elements rises in the axial direction, relative to a constant axial plane, from a minimum value to a maximum value and declines again, and the hardness curve declines, relative to a constant radial plane, from a maximum value on the radial inside to a minimum value on the radial outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 8, 1999
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Frank Ilzig, Ernst Buberl, Achim Link