Patents by Inventor Bernd Schepperle

Bernd Schepperle 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: 10871203
    Abstract: A dual clutch transmission for a motor vehicle including two sub-transmissions, each having at least one input shaft. An output shaft outputs drive from both sub-transmissions. The input shafts are arranged on an input shaft axis and the output shaft is arranged on the input shaft axis or a parallel countershaft axis. An intermediate gear system includes at least one countershaft which is arranged on the countershaft axis. At least four shifting elements are arranged such that, in each case, at least two shifting elements are arranged on the input shaft axis and on the countershaft axis. At least one input shaft can be connected to the output shaft by way of two wheel planes and/or at least one shifting element. Preferably half of the shifting elements are unsynchronized and at least one-third of the shifting elements are synchronized. Also a method for operating a dual clutch transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Bernd Schepperle, Michael Preuβ
  • Patent number: 10119595
    Abstract: A dual-clutch transmission has first and second coaxial input shafts, the second shaft extending through the first shaft. The input shafts couple respective countershafts via input constants which have drive input and output wheels. The countershafts are selectively connectable, via spur gear stages that can be engaged by gearshift elements, to an output shaft. Four gear stages engage forward gears and one reverse gear stage engages reverse gears. The second and fourth gear stages are arranged between the first countershaft and the output shaft, and the other gear stages are arranged between the second countershaft and the output shaft. The first input constant has a higher gear ratio than the second input constant. The output of the first input constant is a loose wheel supported on the second countershaft and can couple the first countershaft by a first coupling element. A second coupling element couples the first and second countershafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Bernd Schepperle
  • Patent number: 10024396
    Abstract: A dual-clutch transmission has first and second coaxial input shafts, with the second shaft extending through the first shaft. The input shafts can couple respective countershafts via input constants. The first countershaft has two sections rigidly connected by a first shifting element. Four gear stages implement forward gears and one gear stage implements reverse gears. The fourth gear stage is arranged between the first section and an output shaft. The second and third gear stages are arranged between the second section and the output shaft. The first and the reversing gear stages are arranged between the second countershaft and the output shaft. The first input constant has a loose wheel supported on the second countershaft and can be rotationally fixed, by a second shifting element, to the first section of the first countershaft. The second section can be rotationally fixed, via a third shifting element, to the second countershaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Bernd Schepperle
  • Patent number: 9863501
    Abstract: A dual-clutch transmission having first and second clutches which selectively engage to couple a drive shaft with a respective first and second input shaft. The input shafts are coaxially aligned with the first input shaft extending through the second input shaft. A transmission output shaft is coaxially aligned with and extends behind the input shafts. Either six, seven or eighth forward gears and at least two reverse gears are produced by gearwheels that are arranged in six gearwheel planes on the input and the output shafts and a countershaft. The gearwheel planes are sequentially arranged axially along the transmission. Depending on the shifting positions of eight interlocking shifting elements, when six forward gears are provided, the last forward gear is a direct gear. In contrast, when either seven or eight forward gears are provided, the last forward gear, in each case, is an overdrive gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Michael Preuβ, Bernd Schepperle
  • Publication number: 20170152916
    Abstract: A dual clutch transmission for a motor vehicle including two sub-transmissions, each having at least one input shaft. An output shaft outputs drive from both sub-transmissions. The input shafts are arranged on an input shaft axis and the output shaft is arranged on the input shaft axis or a parallel countershaft axis. An intermediate gear system includes at least one countershaft which is arranged on the countershaft axis. At least four shifting elements are arranged such that, in each case, at least two shifting elements are arranged on the input shaft axis and on the countershaft axis. At least one input shaft can be connected to the output shaft by way of two wheel planes and/or at least one shifting element. Preferably half of the shifting elements are unsynchronized and at least one-third of the shifting elements are synchronized. Also a method for operating a dual clutch transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Inventors: Bernd SCHEPPERLE, Michael PREUß
  • Publication number: 20160131225
    Abstract: A dual-clutch transmission has first and second coaxial input shafts, the second shaft extending through the first shaft. The input shafts couple respective countershafts via input constants which have drive input and output wheels. The countershafts are selectively connectable, via spur gear stages that can be engaged by gearshift elements, to an output shaft. Four gear stages engage forward gears and one reverse gear stage engages reverse gears. The second and fourth gear stages are arranged between the first countershaft and the output shaft, and the other gear stages are arranged between the second countershaft and the output shaft. The first input constant has a higher gear ratio than the second input constant. The output of the first input constant is a loose wheel supported on the second countershaft and can couple the first countershaft by a first coupling element. A second coupling element couples the first and second countershafts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventor: Bernd SCHEPPERLE
  • Publication number: 20160131224
    Abstract: A dual-clutch transmission has first and second coaxial input shafts, with the second shaft extending through the first shaft. The input shafts can couple respective countershafts via input constants. The first countershaft has two sections rigidly connected by a first shifting element. Four gear stages implement forward gears and one gear stage implements reverse gears. The fourth gear stage is arranged between the first section and an output shaft. The second and third gear stages are arranged between the second section and the output shaft. The first and the reversing gear stages are arranged between the second countershaft and the output shaft. The first input constant has a loose wheel supported on the second countershaft and can be rotationally fixed, by a second shifting element, to the first section of the first countershaft. The second section can be rotationally fixed, via a third shifting element, to the second countershaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventor: Bernd SCHEPPERLE
  • Publication number: 20160061294
    Abstract: A dual-clutch transmission having first and second clutches which selectively engage to couple a drive shaft with a respective first and second input shaft. The input shafts are coaxially aligned with the first input shaft extending through the second input shaft. A transmission output shaft is coaxially aligned with and extends behind the input shafts. Either six, seven or eighth forward gears and at least two reverse gears are produced by gearwheels that are arranged in six gearwheel planes on the input and the output shafts and a countershaft. The gearwheel planes are sequentially arranged axially along the transmission. Depending on the shifting positions of eight interlocking shifting elements, when six forward gears are provided, the last forward gear is a direct gear. In contrast, when either seven or eight forward gears are provided, the last forward gear, in each case, is an overdrive gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Michael PREUß, Bernd SCHEPPERLE
  • Patent number: 7806013
    Abstract: The invention relates to a regulating mechanism for operating an actuator or connecting element (11, 12) of an automatic transmission. The regulating mechanism has an actuator (3), a regulating mechanism (4), a transmission element (6), and an output element (8, 9). According to the present invention, the actuator (3) is configured as a three phase motor, advantageously as an asynchronous motor. The torque (M) of the actuator (3) is converted into an actuating force (S) in the transmission element (6), which is then applied to a regulated and or connecting element (11, 12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Bernd Schepperle, Eckhardt Lübke, Karl-Hermann Ketteler, Andreas Fuessl
  • Patent number: 7798032
    Abstract: An electromechanically activated motor vehicle transmission (31, 14) such as an automated manual transmission (31) or a transfer case (14). This transmission includes at least a transmission housing (11), an electromagnetic selecting or shifting device (1) and an electric motor (2, 8, 22) by which the selecting or shifting device (1) can be actuated. In the inventive motor vehicle transmission (31, 14), the electric motor (2, 8, 22) of the selecting or shifting mechanism (1) arranged within the transmission housing (11) and the motor housing (9, 12, 24) of the electric motor (2, 8, 22) is designed so that it corresponds to a portion of the transmission housing (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Bernd Schepperle, Hubert Remmlinger, Karl-Hermann Ketteler, Kai Heinrich, Peter Feulner
  • Patent number: 7735387
    Abstract: A selector drive for automatic manual transmissions has an electric motor, the rotational motion of which can be transmitted to the selector mechanism for the selection of a selector position by way of a mechanical transmission chain. An electric motor (1) of the mechanical transmission chain is an electric motor with defined step width, whereby the required step number for the selection of the selector position in the selector mechanism can be determined through fixed geometrical conditions or distances according to the stipulations of the individual step angle of the electric motor and the distance between the selector positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Karl-Hermann Ketteler, Andreas Fuessl, Bernd Schepperle
  • Patent number: 7444896
    Abstract: A shifting device for the shifting of a transmission with a shifting shaft (2), having a multiplicity of shifting forks or shifting levers (8, 10, 12, 14) placed in an axial slidable manner for the carrying out of a shifting procedure with a selection apparatus (28, 30, 32, 42, 44, 46) for the choice of a shifting fork (8, 10, 12, 14) from the multiplicity of shifting forks for the carrying out of the shifting procedure and with blocking disk (52) for the prevention of the movement of non-chosen shifting forks (8, 10, 12, 14). The elements (2, 8, 10, 12, 14, 20, 22) for the carrying out of the shifting procedure are made from a material of high structural strength and the elements of the selection apparatus (28, 30, 32, 42, 44, 46) and the blocking apparatus (52) are constructed from a material of lesser structural strength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Bernd Schepperle
  • Patent number: 7418884
    Abstract: A shifting device for shifting a transmission with a shifting shaft upon which a plurality of shifting forks are located in an axial, slidable manner for carry out desired shifting procedures. The shifting device includes a selection apparatus for choosing the shifting fork to be activated for carrying out the shifting procedure and a blocking mechanism, which prevents movement of each of the non-chosen shifting forks. The blocking mechanism is located on an additional shaft which extends parallel to the shifting shaft and supports elements of the selection apparatus. A first actuator axially displaces the shifting shaft, when carrying out of the shifting procedure, and another actuator causes the additional shaft to rotate for choosing a desired the shifting fork to carry out the shifting procedure and for preventing movement of non-chosen shifting forks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Bernd Schepperle
  • Publication number: 20080134821
    Abstract: The invention relates to a regulating mechanism for operating an actuator or connecting element (11, 12) of an automatic transmission. The regulating mechanism has an actuator (3), a regulating mechanism (4), a transmission element (6), and an output element (8, 9). According to the present invention, the actuator (3) is configured as a three phase motor, advantageously as an asynchronous motor. The torque (M) of the actuator (3) is converted into an actuating force (S) in the transmission element (6), which is then applied to a regulated and or connecting element (11, 12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Bernd Schepperle, Eckhardt Lubke, Karl-Hermann Ketteler, Andreas Fuessl
  • Publication number: 20080129230
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electromechanically activated motor vehicle transmission (31, 14) such as an automated manual transmission (31) or a transfer case (14). This transmission comprises at least a transmission housing (11), an electromagnetic selecting or shifting device (1) and an electric motor (2, 8, 22) by means of which the selecting or shifting device (1) can be actuated. In the inventive motor vehicle transmission (31, 14), the electric motor (2, 8, 22) of the selecting or shifting mechanism (1) arranged within the transmission housing (11) and the motor housing (9, 12, 24) of the electric motor (2, 8, 22) is designed so that it corresponds to a portion of the transmission housing (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Bernd Schepperle, Hubert Remmlinger, Karl-Hermann Ketteler, Kai Heinrich, Peter Feulner
  • Publication number: 20080015086
    Abstract: A selector drive for automatic manual transmissions has an electric motor, the rotational motion of which can be transmitted to the selector mechanism for the selection of a selector position by way of a mechanical transmission chain. An electric motor (1) of the mechanical transmission chain is an electric motor with defined step width, whereby the required step number for the selection of the selector position in the selector mechanism can be determined through fixed geometrical conditions or distances according to the stipulations of the individual step angle of the electric motor and the distance between the selector positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Karl-Hermann Ketteler, Andreas Fuessl, Bernd Schepperle
  • Publication number: 20060230860
    Abstract: A shifting device for the shifting of a transmission with a shifting shaft (2), having a multiplicity of shifting forks or shifting levers (8, 10, 12, 14) placed in an axial slidable manner for the carrying out of a shifting procedure with a selection apparatus (28, 30, 32, 42, 44, 46) for the choice of a shifting fork (8, 10, 12, 14) from the multiplicity of shifting forks for the carrying out of the shifting procedure and with blocking disk (52) for the prevention of the movement of non-chosen shifting forks (8, 10, 12, 14). The elements (2, 8, 10, 12, 14, 20, 22) for the carrying out of the shifting procedure are made from a material of high structural strength and the elements of the selection apparatus (28, 30, 32, 42, 44, 46) and the blocking apparatus (52) are constructed from a material of lesser structural strength.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Inventor: Bernd Schepperle
  • Publication number: 20060225528
    Abstract: A shifting device for the shifting of a transmission with a shifting shaft (2), upon which a multiplicity of shifting forks (8, 10, 12, 14) are placed in an axial, slidable manner for the carrying out of a shifting procedure, with a selection apparatus (28, 30, 32, 42, 44, 46) for the choice of the shifting fork from the multiplicity of shifting forks for the carrying out of the shifting procedure and with a blocking mechanism (52) for the prevention of the movement of non-chosen shifting fork. The blocking mechanism is to be found on an additional shaft (46) which is parallel to the shifting shaft, upon which the elements of the selection apparatus are provided. An actuator (60) exists which axially displaces the shifting shaft for the carrying out of the shifting procedure and another actuator (48) is provided, which causes to rotate the additional shaft for the choice of a shifting fork and for the prevention of the movement of non-chosen shifting forks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Publication date: October 12, 2006
    Inventor: Bernd Schepperle
  • Patent number: 6718841
    Abstract: A transmission with a drive shaft (10), an output shaft (20) mounted coaxially thereto and a countershaft (30), there being provided a first constant gear pair (K1) that can transmit the rotation of the countershaft (30) to the output shaft (20) and wherein respective toothed gear pairs are allocated to the individual gears, the gear pairs optionally transmitting the rotation of the drive shaft (10) to the countershaft (30). A second constant gear pair (K2) can transmit the rotation of the countershaft (30) to the output shaft (20). The toothed gears (1-1, 1-2; 2-1, 2-2; 3-1, 3-2) of a gear of a first group of gears can be optionally select to be operative between the drive shaft (10) and the countershaft (30), the rotation of the countershaft (30) being transmissible via the first constant air (K1) to the output shaft (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Bernd Schepperle
  • Patent number: 6347556
    Abstract: For a 12-speed transmission for utility vehicles in 2×3×2 construction, a shift lever (1) is proposed which is configured as a universal joint with a shift fork (2) and a reversing lever (3). The shift fork is supported pivotally jointly with the transmission while the reversing lever (3) is pivotally mounted on the shift fork. When the shift fork is actuated, the synchronization movement, which occurs upon engagement in a synchronization block, runs in opposite direction, when the reverse lever is shifted in the same direction. This makes it possible to shift through the six speeds of the main gear in one stroke with successive shift movements in opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Rüdiger Nitzschke, Bernd Schepperle