Patents by Inventor Bernd-Heinrich Schmitfranz

Bernd-Heinrich Schmitfranz 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).

  • Publication number: 20130333670
    Abstract: In a reciprocating piston engine with a variable compression ratio in which a piston is movably disposed in a cylinder, an adjustment arrangement is provided for controlling the compression ratio of the engine including an adjusting part supported by a guide element depending on a signal provided by a detection means comprising a transducer part arranged on the adjusting part and a corresponding detection part, arranged on a housing part of the engine in connection with a control unit in which a desired momentary compression ratio setting is determined on the basis of a characteristic diagram stored in the control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: DAIMLER AG
    Inventors: Marc Wodischek, Simone Nowak, Bernd-Heinrich Schmitfranz, Tilmann Römheld, Michael Wagenplast, Dieter Nowak
  • Patent number: 8448615
    Abstract: An electromagnetic camshaft-adjuster device having an armature unit (14, 42) drivable along an axial direction in reaction of a current feed of a stationary inductor unit (10), which for interacting with an adjusting unit (16, 48) causing adjustment of a camshaft of an internal combustion engine is configured with a slide and/or tappet unit, wherein on and/or in the armature unit and/or the adjusting unit, a permanent magnet element (20, 44) is provided and the inductor unit and the armature unit are at least partially received in a housing or supporting unit, and wherein the supporting unit is associated with a configured stationary magnetic field detection element (22, 38) preferably for contactless magnetic interaction with the permanent magnet element, which is configured so that in a current feed condition and a non current feed condition the inductor unit an axial position of the armature unit and/or the adjusting unit can be determined electronically by evaluating a magnetic field detection signal of t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignees: Eto Magnetic GmbH, Daimler AG
    Inventors: Markus Laufenberg, Thomas Schiepp, Simone Nowak, Bernd-Heinrich Schmitfranz
  • Publication number: 20120031360
    Abstract: An electromagnetic camshaft-adjuster device having an armature unit (14, 42) drivable along an axial direction in reaction of a current feed of a stationary inductor unit (10), which for interacting with an adjusting unit (16, 48) causing adjustment of a camshaft of an internal combustion engine is configured with a slide and/or tappet unit, wherein on and/or in the armature unit and/or the adjusting unit, a permanent magnet element (20, 44) is provided and the inductor unit and the armature unit are at least partially received in a housing or supporting unit, and wherein the supporting unit is associated with a configured stationary magnetic field detection element (22, 38) preferably for contactless magnetic interaction with the permanent magnet element, which is configured so that in a current feed condition and a non current feed condition the inductor unit an axial position of the armature unit and/or the adjusting unit can be determined electronically by evaluating a magnetic field detection signal of t
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicants: DAIMLER AG, ETO MAGNETIC GMBH
    Inventors: Markus Laufenberg, Thomas Schiepp, Simone Nowak, Bernd-Heinrich Schmitfranz
  • Patent number: 7568455
    Abstract: In a method and device for adjusting an electro-dynamic brake of an electric camshaft adjuster for a phase angle adjustment of a camshaft of an internal combustion engine with respect to the crankshaft thereof, the phase angle is controlled by means of a position controller and the adjustment speed of the phase angle of the camshaft with respect to the crankshaft is controlled by means of an adjustment speed controller by controlling the current through the electro-dynamic brake by means of a further adjustment device and the use of Pilot controls to improve the control behavior of the cascade controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Lorenzo Giovanardi, Matthias Gregor, Jens Meintschel, Reinhard Orthmann, Bernd-Heinrich Schmitfranz, Markus Stalitza
  • Publication number: 20080284414
    Abstract: A hysteresis brake is provided, such as for an electric camshaft adjuster, has with an excitation coil, a stator with an inner and outer stator part, and a moveable rotor with a hysteresis band which is movable between the inner and outer stator part. The excitation coil, which produces a main magnetic flux for a magnetic adjuster is arranged between the inner and outer stator part. A sensor enables the rotor and/or the hysteresis band to receive a secondary magnetic flux caused by the main magnetic flux, or enables the excitation coil to receive the main flux. An evaluation and control unit evaluates the magnetic flux received and determines angle and/or rotational speed information from detected changes of the magnetic flux.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2005
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Lorenzo Giovanardi, Matthias Gregor, Jens Meintschel, Bernd-Heinrich Schmitfranz, Guenter Stoehr
  • Publication number: 20080029051
    Abstract: In a method and device for adjusting an electro-dynamic brake of an electric camshaft adjuster for a phase angle adjustment of a camshaft of an internal combustion engine with respect to the crankshaft thereof, the phase angle is controlled by means of a position controller and the adjustment speed of the phase angle of the camshaft with respect to the crankshaft is controlled by means of an adjustment speed controller by controlling the current through the electro-dynamic brake by means of a further adjustment device and the use of Pilot controls to improve the control behavior of the cascade controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Inventors: Lorenzo Giovanardi, Matthias Gregor, Jens Meintschel, Reinhard Orthmann, Bernd-Heinrich Schmitfranz, Markus Stalitza
  • Patent number: 7237536
    Abstract: In a method for ascertaining the position of a mobile closing element of an injector valve in a motor vehicle engine, in which the closing element is driven by a piezoelectric element for opening or closing the injection valve and a voltage signal allocated to an electrical voltage recorded on the piezoelectric element, the position of the closing element is ascertained from the ascertained voltage signal. Through a two-way valve arranged on the injection valve, a change in the voltage signal is brought about based upon a change in the electrical voltage on the piezoelectric element as a function of the position of the closing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Bernd-Heinrich Schmitfranz, Guenter Stoehr
  • Publication number: 20060190155
    Abstract: An arrangement for controlling a vehicle engine or transmission includes a control device arranged remotely from the engine/transmission (which provides the open-loop and closed-loop control algorithms), and a unit which is attached to the engine/transmission, and which is electrically connected directly to a plurality of sensors and/or actuators. The unit has an A/D converter for converting sensor signals into digital sensor signals, which are then converted into data bus signals by a data bus transceiver unit, for communication via a data bus between the unit and the control device. A uniform sensor/actuator interface is provided, with a plurality of parallel connections for the sensors/actuators and a connection for the data bus. A signal converter converts the sensor signals directly into the data bus signals in accordance with an open-loop/closed-loop control algorithm without the intermediate connection of a calculating means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2003
    Publication date: August 24, 2006
    Inventors: Werner Meyer, Bernd-Heinrich Schmitfranz
  • Publication number: 20050224050
    Abstract: In a method for ascertaining the position of a mobile closing element of an injector valve in a motor vehicle engine, in which the closing element is driven by a piezoelectric element for opening or closing the injection valve and a voltage signal allocated to an electrical voltage recorded on the piezoelectric element, the position of the closing element is ascertained from the ascertained voltage signal. Through a two-way valve arranged on the injection valve, a change in the voltage signal is brought about based upon a change in the electrical voltage on the piezoelectric element as a function of the position of the closing element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Publication date: October 13, 2005
    Inventors: Bernd-Heinrich Schmitfranz, Guenter Stoehr
  • Patent number: 6382041
    Abstract: A gearshift device comprises an input unit for receiving input data which is connected via at least one data line to a first controller via which an actuator unit can be controlled for setting a gearbox, especially an automatic gearbox of a motor vehicle, and comprising at least one second controller which is independent of the first controller. The second controller is separate from the first controller and is connected to the input unit via at least one data line. In the case of a fault in the first controller, the actuator unit can be controlled by the second controller at least partially correspondingly to the first controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: DiamlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Martin Burgbacher, Martin Grieb, Torsten Kroeger, Bernd-Heinrich Schmitfranz
  • Patent number: RE40615
    Abstract: A gearshift device comprises an input unit for receiving input data which is connected via at least one data line to a first controller via which an actuator unit can be controlled for setting a gearbox, especially an automatic gearbox of a motor vehicle, and comprising at least one second controller which is independent of the first controller. The second controller is separate from the first controller and is connected to the input unit via at least one data line. In the case of a fault in the first controller, the actuator unit can be controlled by the second controller at least partially correspondingly to the first controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Martin Burgbacher, Martin Grieb, Torsten Koeger, Bernd-Heinrich Schmitfranz