Patents by Inventor Andreas Föster

Andreas Föster 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: 8789667
    Abstract: An adjustable damping valve device for a vibration damper includes a housing with an axially movable valve body. The valve body has in the direction of a valve seat surface a pressure-loaded surface AOED which is operative in the lift direction of the valve body and a surface ACloseD which is loaded by pressure in the closing direction, wherein a resultant force comprising a force of at least one valve spring and an actuating force of an actuator acts on the valve body, and wherein an additional surface ACloseD2 of the valve body is pressure loaded by damping medium in closing direction of the valve body. The damping valve device has an emergency operation valve by means of which a pressure level can be at least indirectly adjusted in a control space for an emergency operation. The emergency operation valve is operative only in one flow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Steffen Heyn, Andreas Föster
  • Patent number: 8773228
    Abstract: Actuator which can be actuated electromagnetically includes a coil, a magnetically conductive actuator sleeve being fixed in the magnetic field thereof. The magnetic field passes radially from the actuator sleeve to an axially movable armature and passes axially in the area of a pole plane from the armature to a return member which is stationary with respect to the actuator and, in so doing, generates a magnetic force which displaces the armature. The actuator sleeve for the magnetic flux of the coil has at least two functionally parallel passage areas having different cross sections for receiving the armature which has a conducting profile complementary to the actuator sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Andreas Föster
  • Publication number: 20130015028
    Abstract: An adjustable damping valve device for a vibration damper includes a housing with an axially movable valve body. The valve body has in the direction of a valve seat surface a pressure-loaded surface AOED which is operative in the lift direction of the valve body and a surface ACloseD which is loaded by pressure in the closing direction, wherein a resultant force comprising a force of at least one valve spring and an actuating force of an actuator acts on the valve body, and wherein an additional surface ACloseD2 of the valve body is pressure loaded by damping medium in closing direction of the valve body. The damping valve device has an emergency operation valve by means of which a pressure level can be at least indirectly adjusted in a control space for an emergency operation. The emergency operation valve is operative only in one flow direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: ZF FriedriChshafen AG
    Inventors: Steffen HEYN, Andreas FÖSTER
  • Patent number: 8307965
    Abstract: The vibration damper with an adjustable damping force includes a cylinder filled with a damping medium, a piston rod axially movable in the cylinder and carrying a piston which divides the cylinder into a first working space on the piston rod side and a second working space on the side away from the piston rod, a first adjustable damping valve which is connected to at least one of the two working spaces by means of a fluid connection, at least one second valve which is connected hydraulically in parallel to the first adjustable damping valve, and a third damping valve arranged in series to and upstream from both the first and second valves, the third damping valve moving in a closing direction as a function of a flow velocity of the damping medium through the third damping valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Andreas Föster, Alfred Wirth, Heinz-Joachim Gilsdorf, Thomas Kutsche
  • Publication number: 20120187778
    Abstract: Actuator which can be actuated electromagnetically includes a coil, a magnetically conductive actuator sleeve being fixed in the magnetic field thereof. The magnetic field passes radially from the actuator sleeve to an axially movable armature and passes axially in the area of a pole plane from the armature to a return member which is stationary with respect to the actuator and, in so doing, generates a magnetic force which displaces the armature. The actuator sleeve for the magnetic flux of the coil has at least two functionally parallel passage areas having different cross sections for receiving the armature which has a conducting profile complementary to the actuator sleeve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Andreas FÖSTER