Patents by Inventor Andy Maes

Andy Maes 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: 12638075
    Abstract: An arrangement, including a gearbox housing, a hollow shaft rotatably mounted in the gearbox housing, and a lubrication point located at least partially inside the hollow shaft. The gearbox housing has a ring which encloses a hollow space with an outer circumferential surface of the hollow shaft. The ring has one or more drill holes, each of which opens into the hollow space. The hollow shaft has one or more drill holes, each of which opens into an interior of the hollow shaft and into the hollow space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2026
    Assignees: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG, ZF WIND POWER ANTWERPEN N.V.
    Inventors: Wim De Laet, Andy Maes, Stijn Rottiers, Quinten Gaethofs, Koen Krieckemans
  • Patent number: 12359715
    Abstract: A gearbox arrangement with an oil circuit, including at least one lubrication point incorporated in the oil circuit and at least one direction control valve with at least two switching positions and at least three ports, the at least three ports including a first port, a second port, and a third port. In a first switching position the first port and the third port are connected to each other in an oil-conducting manner and disconnected from the second port. In a second switching position, the first port and the second port are connected to each other in an oil-conducting manner and disconnected from the third port. The lubrication point and the second port are connected to each other in an oil-conducting manner. The lubrication point and the third port are not connected to each other in an oil-conducting manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Andy Maes, Bert Verdyck, Stijn Rottiers, Wim De Laet
  • Publication number: 20250198505
    Abstract: An arrangement, including a gearbox housing, a hollow shaft rotatably mounted in the gearbox housing, and a lubrication point located at least partially inside the hollow shaft. The gearbox housing has a ring which encloses a hollow space with an outer circumferential surface of the hollow shaft. The ring has one or more drill holes, each of which opens into the hollow space. The hollow shaft has one or more drill holes, each of which opens into an interior of the hollow shaft and into the hollow space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2023
    Publication date: June 19, 2025
    Inventors: Wim DE LAET, Andy MAES, Stijn ROTTIERS, Quinten GAETHOFS, Koen KRIECKEMANS
  • Publication number: 20250198516
    Abstract: An arrangement including two components with differential speed and an elastic oil transmission ring. One of the two components forms a groove for accommodating the oil transfer ring. The oil transfer ring has a U-shaped cross-section with a first lip and a second lip, wherein the first and second lips are spaced apart and run parallel to each other. The first and second lips each form a contact surface on their outer sides. The contact surfaces lie against two opposing wall surfaces of the groove when the oil transfer ring is mounted between the two components. The contact surfaces are spaced further apart than from each other than the two wall surfaces of the groove when the oil transfer ring is not mounted between the two components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2022
    Publication date: June 19, 2025
    Inventors: Wim DE LAET, Stijn ROTTIERS, Andy MAES, Sonja GORIS
  • Patent number: 12146468
    Abstract: An arrangement including a transmission and a generator is disclosed. The generator includes a generator rotor being non-rotatably connected to an output shaft of the transmission or configured to be connectable to the output shaft of the transmission. An assembly bearing that supports the generator rotor in the output shaft is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Wim De Laet, Andy Maes, Ralf Sperlich
  • Patent number: 12098745
    Abstract: A unit includes a thrust washer having a first abutment and a second abutment. The thrust washer is configured to be moved, by rotation, between a first position in which the thrust washer abuts the first abutment and a second position in which the thrust washer abuts the second abutment. The first abutment and the second abutment are formed by at least one pin and at least one recess. The pin is configured to engage in the recesses, and the recess is designed as a groove that extends tangentially around an axis of rotation of a component that is rotatably mounted by way of the thrust washer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignees: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG, ZF WIND POWER ANTWERPEN N.V.
    Inventors: Wim De Laet, Andy Maes, Jan Aerts
  • Publication number: 20240288059
    Abstract: A gearbox arrangement with an oil circuit, including at least one lubrication point incorporated in the oil circuit and at least one direction control valve with at least two switching positions and at least three ports, the at least three ports including a first port, a second port, and a third port. In a first switching position the first port and the third port are connected to each other in an oil-conducting manner and disconnected from the second port. In a second switching position, the first port and the second port are connected to each other in an oil-conducting manner and disconnected from the third port. The lubrication point and the second port are connected to each other in an oil-conducting manner. The lubrication point and the third port are not connected to each other in an oil-conducting manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Publication date: August 29, 2024
    Inventors: Andy MAES, Bert VERDYCK, Stijn ROTTIERS, Wim DE LAET
  • Publication number: 20230014947
    Abstract: An arrangement including a transmission and a generator is disclosed. The generator includes a generator rotor being non-rotatably connected to an output shaft of the transmission or configured to be connectable to the output shaft of the transmission. An assembly bearing that supports the generator rotor in the output shaft is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Wim De Laet, Andy Maes, Ralf Sperlich
  • Publication number: 20220145930
    Abstract: A unit includes a thrust washer having a first abutment and a second abutment. The thrust washer is configured to be moved, by rotation, between a first position in which the thrust washer abuts the first abutment and a second position in which the thrust washer abuts the second abutment. The first abutment and the second abutment are formed by at least one pin and at least one recess. The pin is configured to engage in the recesses, and the recess is designed as a groove that extends tangentially around an axis of rotation of a component that is rotatably mounted by way of the thrust washer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Wim De Laet, Andy Maes, Jan Aerts
  • Patent number: 10626977
    Abstract: A corrosion inhibitor container configured to be screwed into a core hole of a gearbox housing via at least one external thread includes at least one chamber for holding a corrosion inhibitor, at least one gas-permeable wall separating the at least one chamber from an interior of the gearbox housing when the corrosion inhibitor container is screwed into the core hole, the at least one external thread, at least one internal thread, and a screw plug configured to be screwed into the internal thread. The screw plug is configured to be screwed into the core hole when the corrosion inhibitor container is not screwed into the core hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignees: ZF Friedrichshafen AG, ZF Wind Power Antwerpen N.V.
    Inventors: Rik Beque, Stijin Rottiers, Andy Maes, Koen Krieckemans
  • Publication number: 20190048989
    Abstract: A corrosion inhibitor container configured to be screwed into a core hole of a gearbox housing via at least one external thread includes at least one chamber for holding a corrosion inhibitor, at least one gas-permeable wall separating the at least one chamber from an interior of the gearbox housing when the corrosion inhibitor container is screwed into the core hole, the at least one external thread, at least one internal thread, and a screw plug configured to be screwed into the internal thread. The screw plug is configured to be screwed into the core hole when the corrosion inhibitor container is not screwed into the core hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Applicants: ZF Friedrichshafen AG, ZF Wind Power Antwerpen N.V.
    Inventors: Rik BEQUÉ, Stijn ROTTIERS, Andy MAES, Koen KRIECKEMANS
  • Patent number: 7771127
    Abstract: Bearing assembly (1) for supporting a transmission shaft (2) in a housing (3), comprising an axially non-locating bearing (5) and a pair of angular contact bearings (7,8) which locate the shaft (2) against movement in axial direction (AA?), whereby the shaft (2) is subjected to radial and/or axial load forces (Frad,Fax), characterized in that the housing (2) is adapted in order to obtain the desired stiffness for each of the two angular contact bearings (7,8), whereby a load sharing between said two bearings (7,8) is induced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Hansen Transmissions International
    Inventors: Warren Smook, Andy Maes
  • Publication number: 20080124014
    Abstract: Bearing assembly (1) for supporting a transmission shaft (2) in a housing (3), comprising an axially non-locating bearing (5) and a pair of angular contact bearings (7,8) which locate the shaft (2) against movement in axial direction (AA?), whereby the shaft (2) is subjected to radial and/or axial load forces (Frad, Fax), characterised in that the housing (2) is adapted in order to obtain the desired stiffness for each of the two angular contact bearings (7,8), whereby a load sharing between said two bearings (7,8) is induced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2006
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Applicant: HANSEN TRANSMISSIONS INTERNATIONAL
    Inventors: Warren Smook, Andy Maes