Patents by Inventor Andre Hofmann

Andre Hofmann 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: 11866102
    Abstract: A spoiler apparatus for a vehicle has a spoiler blade that is pivotally mounted about a transverse vehicle axis. An electric motor moves the spoiler blade between operating positions. The spoiler blade has a first mounting location on each end and is pivotally mounted there on the spoiler housing by way of a hinge. The hinges are advantageously each formed by an arched hinge lever, the hinge lever being rotatably mounted on one end on the spoiler housing fixed to the vehicle and mounted on the other end on the spoiler blade for conjoint rotation. Viewed transversely to the direction of the vehicle, the electric motor is fixed on the spoiler housing between the first mounting locations and, by way of a toggle lever mechanism, is operatively connected thereto in a second mounting location of the spoiler blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignees: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andre Hofmann, Marcel Klopp, Ingo Lanfer
  • Publication number: 20220017159
    Abstract: A spoiler apparatus for a vehicle has a spoiler blade that is pivotally mounted about a transverse vehicle axis. An electric motor moves the spoiler blade between operating positions. The spoiler blade has a first mounting location on each end and is pivotally mounted there on the spoiler housing by way of a hinge. The hinges are advantageously each formed by an arched hinge lever, the hinge lever being rotatably mounted on one end on the spoiler housing fixed to the vehicle and mounted on the other end on the spoiler blade for conjoint rotation. Viewed transversely to the direction of the vehicle, the electric motor is fixed on the spoiler housing between the first mounting locations and, by way of a toggle lever mechanism, is operatively connected thereto in a second mounting location of the spoiler blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: Andre Hofmann, Marcel Klopp, Ingo Lanfer
  • Patent number: 10760688
    Abstract: Rotary joints are disclosed, such as for supplying fluid to a pressure chamber that is disposed between a rotatable component and a stationary component. The rotary joint may include a seal carrier having at least one channel for a fluid connection to the pressure chamber. At least two axially spaced apart sealing rings may be disposed on the seal carrier for a static sealing of the at least one channel. At least one sealing element may be non-rotatably disposed on the seal carrier and configured to form an axial and a radial seal of the pressure chamber. The at least one sealing element may be configured to bear on a ring element that is non-rotatably connected to the rotatable component when pressure is built up in the pressure chamber and the at least one sealing element may have means for reducing the axial pressure exerted on the ring element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignees: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, GAPI Technische Produkte GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Heuberger, Horst Brehm, Sebastian Niederle, Marc-André Schäfer, Andre Hofmann, Andreas Flint
  • Publication number: 20180195619
    Abstract: Rotary joints are disclosed, such as for supplying liquid to a pressure chamber that is disposed between a rotatable component and a stationary component. The rotary joint may include a seal carrier having at least one channel for a fluid connection to the pressure chamber. At least two axially spaced apart sealing rings may be disposed on the seal carrier for a static sealing of the at least one channel. At least one sealing element may be non-rotatably disposed on the seal carrier and configured to form an axial and a radial seal of the pressure chamber. The at least one sealing element may be configured to bear on a ring element that is non-rotatably connected to the rotatable component when pressure is built up in the pressure chamber and the at least one sealing element may have means for reducing the axial pressure exerted on the ring element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Applicants: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG, GAPI Technische Produkte GmbH
    Inventors: Robert Heuberger, Horst Brehm, Sebastian Niederle, Marc-André Schäfer, Andre Hofmann, Andreas Flint