Patents by Inventor Benjamin Ziebart

Benjamin Ziebart 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: 8894317
    Abstract: A ball joint with a housing formed entirely by a cold forming method. The housing having an inner chamber for receiving the joint ball of a ball pin and an opening through which the ball pin extends, and a contact area on the outer surface area of the housing forms a seal with a bellows. A forming section of the housing secures the joint ball within the inner chamber such that the joint pall can both rotate and pivot. Following completion of the housing, the material displaced during the cold forming method creates the forming section of the housing. The method for producing a ball joint comprises the steps of producing a metallic housing blank with a thickening formed by compression, forming the outer contour of the housing by compression, shaping the inner contour of the housing through dishing, and using the displaced material for creating the forming section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Dirk Maehlmann, Frank Schmeink, Benjamin Ziebart, Horst Pott, Christian Rziczny, Michael Heuer Gen Hallmann, Philippe Milos, Wolfgang Kleiner, Reinhard Buhl, Jurgen Schmitz
  • Patent number: 8627569
    Abstract: A radial joint with a metallic housing (1), through the opening (2) on one side of which a ball pivot (3) can be inserted into an interior space (4) of the housing (1). The housing (1) has, in the area of its opening (2), a section (7), which is prepared by machining and which is deformed by a cold forming process. A process for manufacturing a radial joint includes: manufacturing the housing blank, machining of section (7) close to the opening (2) of housing (1), inserting the joint ball (5) of ball pivot (3) into the interior space (4) of housing (1), cold forming of the opening-side edge section of housing (1) until a metallic overlap (13) is attained between the joint ball (5) and housing (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Jürgen Schmitz, Christian Rziczny, Horst Pott, Benjamin Ziebart, Michael Heuer gen. Hallmann
  • Patent number: 8348541
    Abstract: Joint arrangement for a vehicle, with a joint (7), which has a joint housing (8) and a pivot pin (9) mounted movably in relation thereto; a rod (4), which has a cavity (6) and which is connected to the joint (7); a ring element arranged between the joint and the rod; a sealing bellows (10), which defines the interior space (11) and in which the joint (7) is arranged at least partially; and a gas-permeable connection (13), which connects the cavity (6) of the rod (4) to the interior space (11) of the sealing bellows (10), wherein at least part of the gas-permeable connection (13) is formed by at least one groove, which is formed on the ring element and opens into the interior space (11) of the sealing bellows (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Dirk Mählmann, Benjamin Ziebart
  • Publication number: 20120210582
    Abstract: A radial joint with a metallic housing (1), through the opening (2) on one side of which a ball pivot (3) can be inserted into an interior space (4) of the housing (1). The housing (1) has, in the area of its opening (2), a section (7), which is prepared by machining and which is deformed by a cold forming process. A process for manufacturing a radial joint includes: manufacturing the housing blank, machining of section (7) close to the opening (2) of housing (1), inserting the joint ball (5) of ball pivot (3) into the interior space (4) of housing (1), cold forming of the opening-side edge section of housing (1) until a metallic overlap (13) is attained between the joint ball (5) and housing (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventors: Jürgen Schmitz, Christian Rziczny, Horst Pott, Benjamin Ziebart, Michael Heuer gen. Hallmann
  • Publication number: 20110293359
    Abstract: A ball joint with a housing formed entirely by a cold forming method. The housing having an inner chamber for receiving the joint ball of a ball pin and an opening through which the ball pin extends, and a contact area on the outer surface area of the housing forms a seal with a bellows. A forming section of the housing secures the joint ball within the inner chamber such that the joint pall can both rotate and pivot. Following completion of the housing, the material displaced during the cold forming method creates the forming section of the housing. The method for producing a ball joint comprises the steps of producing a metallic housing blank with a thickening formed by compression, forming the outer contour of the housing by compression, shaping the inner contour of the housing through dishing, and using the displaced material for creating the forming section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Dirk Mahlmann, Frank Schmeink, Benjamin Ziebart, Horst Pott, Christian Rziczny, Michael Heuer Gen Hallmann, Philippe Milos, Wolfgang Kleiner, Reinhard Buhl, Jurgen Schmitz
  • Publication number: 20100284733
    Abstract: The invention relates to an axial ball joint (1) in particular for use in a steering gear including a housing (2), open on one side, with a housing pin (3) arranged up front, a ball joint (4) with a pivot pin (5) and a bearing (6) which is arranged between housing (2) and ball joint (4), wherein the housing (2) has at least one elastic damping element (7) for impact damping on the side of the housing equipped with the housing pin (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Rainer Ungruh, Volker Grube, Jens Diekhoff, Markus Mollmann, Benjamin Ziebart, Dirk Mahlmann
  • Publication number: 20090279944
    Abstract: A radial joint is provided for a motor vehicle with a metallic housing (1), through the opening (2) on one side of which a ball pivot (3) can be inserted into an interior space (4) of the housing (1). The joint ball (5) of the ball pivot (3) is mounted pivotably and rotatably in a bearing area of the interior space (4), and a pivot section (6) of the ball pivot (3), which section is connected to the joint ball (5), protrudes from the housing (1) through opening (2) of housing (1). The housing (1) has, in the area of its opening (2), a section (7), which is prepared by machining and which is deformed by a cold forming process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2007
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventors: Jürgen Schmitz, Christian Rziczny, Horst Pott, Benjamin Ziebart, Michael Heuer Hallmann
  • Publication number: 20090236812
    Abstract: A joint arrangement for a vehicle is provided including a joint (7), which has a joint housing (8) and a pivot pin (9) mounted movably in relation thereto. The joint arrangement has a rod (4), which has a cavity (6) and which is connected to the joint (7). A sealing bellows (10) defines an interior space (11) in which the joint (7) is arranged at least partially. A gas-permeable connection (13) connects the cavity (6) of the rod (4) to the interior space (11) of the sealing bellows (10). At least one part of the gas-permeable connection (13) is formed by at least one bore (14), which is formed in the joint (7) and which opens into the cavity (6) of the rod (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Dirk Mahlmann, Benjamin Ziebart
  • Publication number: 20090208273
    Abstract: Joint arrangement for a vehicle, with a joint (7), which has a joint housing (8) and a pivot pin (9) mounted movably in relation thereto; a rod (4), which has a cavity (6) and which is connected to the joint (7); a ring element arranged between the joint and the rod; a sealing bellows (10), which defines the interior space (11) and in which the joint (7) is arranged at least partially; and a gas-permeable connection (10), which connects the cavity (6) of the rod (4) to the interior space (11) of the sealing bellows (10), wherein at least part of the gas-permeable connection (13) is formed by at least one groove, which is formed on the ring element and opens into the interior space (11) of the sealing bellows (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Inventors: Dirk Mählmann, Benjamin Ziebart