Patents by Inventor Bernd Steiner
Bernd Steiner 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).
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Publication number: 20130257220Abstract: A surface acoustic wave component contains two fan-shaped interdigital transducers disposed on a piezoelectric substrate, the prongs and gaps of which transducers forming groups having the same length, called cells, between them, and narrow in the averaged prong direction. The cells are structured like cells of unidirectional transducers, and at least one of the fan-shaped interdigital transducers is composed of partial transducers. The partial transducers are disposed one behind the other, perpendicular to the averaged prong direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2013Publication date: October 3, 2013Applicant: Vectron International GmbHInventors: Guenter MARTIN, Bernd STEINER
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Patent number: 8439007Abstract: Engine oil may pool in various locations in the cylinder head near the valves and underneath the camshaft. Rather than directly conducting the oil to the oil return passages, the oil is conducted to a surface proximate the exhaust ducts before being conducted to the oil return passage so that the oil is readily warmed up during a cold start by the contact with a surface in the cylinder head proximate exhaust ducts. The provision of such a surface proximate exhaust ducts is facilitated by the integrated exhaust manifold design in which the exhaust ducts are merged prior to exiting the cylinder head. By rapidly heating the oil, the oil's viscosity decreases, thereby reducing friction and improving fuel efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2010Date of Patent: May 14, 2013Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Bernd Steiner, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Jan Mehring
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Patent number: 8393311Abstract: An internal combustion engine with a dry sump lubrication system is disclosed. The dry sump lubrication system has an oil pan coupled to the engine, an oil reservoir, an oil discharge tube coupling between the oil pan to the oil reservoir, an oil supply tube coupling the oil reservoir to the engine, and a vent tube coupling the oil reservoir to the intake manifold. The dry sump lubrication system may have a fresh air tube coupled to the oil reservoir. A control element coupled to an upstream side of the fresh air tube controls fresh air supplied to the oil reservoir. The oil reservoir may be insulated to retain energy in the oil during short shutdown periods. The oil reservoir may have a heat exchanger which allows engine coolant to flow through the heat exchanger.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2010Date of Patent: March 12, 2013Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Bernd Steiner, Johannes Mehring, Helmut Hans Ruhland, Klaus Moritz Springer
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Publication number: 20130036996Abstract: Embodiments for mass balancing an engine are provided. In one example, an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder which is associated with a crank drive comprises at least one mechanically driven balancing unit for balancing the mass forces, the balancing unit including at least one balancing weight which serves as an unbalance by initially rotating a first mass about a rotational axis relative to a second mass when the balancing unit is operational, and an interrupter unit to disconnect the at least one balancing unit from the mechanical drive in a switched off state and connect it to the mechanical drive in a switched on state.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2012Publication date: February 14, 2013Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Stefan Quiring, Bernd Steiner
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Publication number: 20130036995Abstract: Embodiments for balancing an engine are provided. In one example, a method for balancing mass forces of a crank drive of an internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder comprises providing at least one balancing unit which has at least one balancing weight which serves as an unbalance and which rotates about a rotational axis when the balancing unit is operational, the at least one balancing unit being embodied as a switchable balancing unit, and switching on the at least one balancing unit as a function of at least one operating parameter of the internal combustion engine.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2012Publication date: February 14, 2013Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Bernd Steiner, Stefan Quiring
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Publication number: 20120291728Abstract: A method for operating an engine is provided. The method comprises adjusting an oil pressure in an oil circuit, the oil circuit including a pump in fluidic communication with a hydraulically adjustable cam follower and switching the hydraulically adjustable cam follower into a connected state to a disconnected in response to the oil pressure adjustment.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2012Publication date: November 22, 2012Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Jan Mehring, Klemens Grieser, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Bernd Steiner
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Publication number: 20120285401Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided. The internal combustion engine includes an oil circuit and a pump in fluidic communication with a supply line and at least one lubricant receiving component and a liquid cooling system including a coolant circuit having an oil pressure actuated coolant valve and a coolant valve control line in fluidic communication with the pump and having a first configuration in which coolant may flow therethrough and a second configuration in which coolant is inhibited from flowing therethrough, the first and second configurations triggered in response to a change in oil pressure in the coolant valve control line.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2012Publication date: November 15, 2012Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Stefan Quiring, Michael Tobergte, Hans Guenter Quix, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Bernd Steiner, Jan Mehring
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Publication number: 20120240574Abstract: Embodiments for controlling exhaust flow are provided. Example embodiments include a cylinder head having two integrated exhaust manifolds, wherein each exhaust manifold is coupled to a turbine of a turbocharger. After passing over the turbines, the exhaust gas may exit through a shared balcony-like projection arranged between the exhaust manifolds.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2012Publication date: September 27, 2012Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Rainer Friedfeldt, Bernd Steiner, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach
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Publication number: 20120180476Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a supercharged internal combustion engine having at least one liquid-cooled cylinder head with at least two cylinders, each cylinder having at least one exhaust gas outlet opening with an exhaust line attached to each outlet. The exhaust lines from each outlet merge to form an integrated exhaust manifold within the cylinder head and an overall exhaust line directing exhaust gas outside of the cylinder head, and the at least one liquid-cooled turbine having a turbine housing arranged in said overall exhaust line. Further, a bypass line, separate from the exhaust lines forming the integrated exhaust manifold, branches off upstream of the turbine conducting blown-off exhaust gas past the turbine and outside of the turbine housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2012Publication date: July 19, 2012Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Bernd Steiner, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Rainer Friedfeldt
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Publication number: 20120118248Abstract: A hybrid cooling system for an engine is provided. The system comprises a block oil cooling circuit, a head coolant cooling circuit, the head and block circuits having a common heat exchanger. The system also includes a flow device in the head cooling circuit for preventing coolant flow in the head cooling circuit at least during a first phase of a warm-up phase of the internal combustion engine, a delivery device in the block cooling circuit which delivers engine oil constantly under pressure through the block cooling circuit to bearing points in a cylinder block and to bearing points in a cylinder head, and a control element arranged in a control line to reduce the delivery capacity of the delivery device through the block cooling circuit at least during the first phase of the warm-up phase. In this way, heat transfer in the common heat exchanger may be substantially prevented.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2011Publication date: May 17, 2012Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Jan Mehring, Bernd Steiner, Carsten Weber
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Publication number: 20120103283Abstract: A cooling system for an engine is provided. In one embodiment, an internal combustion engine comprises a cabin heat exchanger circuit including a connecting line opening on an inlet side into a cylinder block coolant jacket, a main coolant pump arranged in the cabin heat exchanger circuit, an auxiliary coolant pump arranged in the connecting line, and a check valve. In this way, additional cooling and/or heating may be provided to the engine and associated components by the auxiliary coolant pump.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2011Publication date: May 3, 2012Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Jan Mehring, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Bernd Steiner, Michael Tobergte, Hans Guenter Quix
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Publication number: 20120067306Abstract: Embodiments for cooling a turbine of an engine are provided. In one example embodiment, an internal combustion engine comprises a turbocharger including a turbine having a coolant jacket integrated in a housing of the turbine, and an oil circuit coupled to the coolant jacket of the turbine. By cooling the turbine with the oil circuit, the turbine may be constructed from less-heat resistant materials.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2011Publication date: March 22, 2012Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Jan Mehring, Ludwig Stump, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Bernd Steiner, Carsten Weber, Franz J. Brinkmann, Frank Kraemer, Jens Groeger
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Publication number: 20110296834Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided herein. The internal combustion engine may include a turbocharger including a turbine positioned in an exhaust passage, the turbine having a turbine housing. The internal combustion engine may further include a cooling system having an engine block coolant jacket fluidly coupled to a pump, a cylinder head coolant jacket fluidly coupled to the pump, and a turbine coolant passage traversing the turbine housing and fluidly coupled to the pump and bypassing the engine block coolant jacket.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 2, 2011Publication date: December 8, 2011Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Bernd Steiner, Jan Mehring
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Patent number: 8061309Abstract: The disclosure relates to an internal combustion engine with a cooling circuit having a water jacket portion in the cylinder block and a water jacket portion in the cylinder head which has an intake portion and an exhaust portion. Flow from the intake and exhaust portions mix in an outlet housing which has a cylinder head outlet thermostat. A coolant pump provides flow to a first branch to the exhaust portion and a second branch to the water jacket portion in the cylinder block. A block thermostat is located in the second branch downstream of the coolant pump and upstream of the water jacket portion in the cylinder block. The intake portion of the water jacket portion in the cylinder head is fluidly coupled to the water jacket portion in the cylinder block.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2010Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: Ford Global Technologies LLCInventors: Ingo Lenz, Urban Morawitz, Richard Fritsche, Guenter Bartsch, Bernd Steiner, Jeroen Slotman
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Publication number: 20110271916Abstract: A system for providing cooling to at least one cylinder of an engine is disclosed. The system comprises at least one coolant jacket in a cylinder head arranged on an inlet side of a cylinder and at least one coolant jacket in the cylinder head arranged on an outlet side of the cylinder. The outlet-side coolant jacket may be part of a water cooling circuit, while the inlet-side coolant jacket may be part of oil circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 3, 2011Publication date: November 10, 2011Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Bernd Steiner, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Jan Mehring
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Patent number: 7992535Abstract: The disclosure relates to an internal combustion engine having a cylinder head and cylinder block serving as an upper crankcase portion for holding a crankshaft in multiple bearings. The engine has an oil pump for feeding engine oil to the cylinder head prior to supplying the multiple bearings in the cylinder block.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2010Date of Patent: August 9, 2011Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Bernd Steiner, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Jan Mehring
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Patent number: 7973449Abstract: A transducer for surface acoustic waves, and a resonator and a filter for surface acoustic waves having the transducer are provided. The transducer for surface acoustic waves has cells containing two electrode fingers per cell, wherein the transducer exhibits unidirectional behavior for propagation directions of the surface acoustic waves parallel to highly symmetrical directions of the crystal substrate. Each of two electrodes have a plurality of electrode fingers, the electrode fingers having center axes extending parallel to their longitudinal axes and being spaced apart from center axes of adjacent electrode fingers of the same electrode by a distance which equals the ratio of the velocity of the surface acoustic wave and the cut-off frequency of the transducer. The electrode fingers of both electrodes define a plurality of cells each consisting of two fingers.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2008Date of Patent: July 5, 2011Assignee: Vectron International GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Bert Wall, Bernd Steiner, Guenter Martin, Sergey V. Biryukov
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Publication number: 20110079187Abstract: The disclosure relates to an internal combustion engine having a cylinder head and cylinder block serving as an upper crankcase portion for holding a crankshaft in multiple bearings. The engine has an oil pump for feeding engine oil to the cylinder head prior to supplying the multiple bearings in the cylinder block.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2010Publication date: April 7, 2011Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Bernd Steiner, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Jan Mehring
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Publication number: 20110056456Abstract: Engine oil may pool in various locations in the cylinder head near the valves and underneath the camshaft. Rather than directly conducting the oil to the oil return passages, the oil is conducted to a surface proximate the exhaust ducts before being conducted to the oil return passage so that the oil is readily warmed up during a cold start by the contact with a surface in the cylinder head proximate exhaust ducts. The provision of such a surface proximate exhaust ducts is facilitated by the integrated exhaust manifold design in which the exhaust ducts are merged prior to exiting the cylinder head. By rapidly heating the oil, the oil's viscosity decreases, thereby reducing friction and improving fuel efficiency.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2010Publication date: March 10, 2011Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Bernd Steiner, Kai Sebastian Kuhlbach, Jan Mehring
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Publication number: 20110023797Abstract: The disclosure relates to an internal combustion engine with a cooling circuit having a water jacket portion in the cylinder block and a water jacket portion in the cylinder head which has an intake portion and an exhaust portion. Flow from the intake and exhaust portions mix in an outlet housing which has a cylinder head outlet thermostat. A coolant pump provides flow to a first branch to the exhaust portion and a second branch to the water jacket portion in the cylinder block. A block thermostat is located in the second branch downstream of the coolant pump and upstream of the water jacket portion in the cylinder block. The intake portion of the water jacket portion in the cylinder head is fluidly coupled to the water jacket portion in the cylinder block.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2010Publication date: February 3, 2011Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Ingo Lenz, Urban Morawitz, Richard Fritsche, Guenter Bartsch, Bernd Steiner, Jeroen Slotman