Patents by Inventor Christian Harkort

Christian Harkort 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: 20240278773
    Abstract: A vehicle and method for a parking maneuver includes an electrically operated vehicle, having two axles with two drive and chassis modules which are spaced apart by a track width are arranged on each of the axles, and, on the basis of a straight-head position in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, each of the drive and chassis modules has a separate maximum steering angle with respect to a side of the vehicle and having a control device in which a plurality of steering functions for actuating a steering angle of the drive and chassis modules are configured and stored. A method for carrying out a parking maneuver, in which the drive and chassis modules are adjusted synchronously in accordance with one of the steering functions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Publication date: August 22, 2024
    Inventors: Lukas Holler, Andreas Woellner, Christian Harkort, Tobias Molls
  • Patent number: 11498379
    Abstract: A wheel module (10) for a motor vehicle includes a wheel (12) and a wheel guide (14) for guiding the wheel (12). The wheel guide (14) includes a wheel carrier unit (16) for supporting the wheel (12); a wheel fork (24) supporting the wheel carrier unit (16); a steering actuator (18) for adjusting the steering angle of the wheel (12); a spring-damper unit (28); and a level adjustment unit (36) for adjusting the height of the vehicle body (32) of the motor vehicle. The spring-damper unit (28) is arranged in a region of the wheel guide (14) between the wheel fork (24) and the wheel carrier unit (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Benjamin Wuebbolt-Gorbatenko, Manfred Kraus, Christian Harkort
  • Patent number: 11458789
    Abstract: A fork leg for rotating a wheel of a motor vehicle is provided with a fastening flange for the coaxial, torque-proof fastening of a steering rod, an extension region protruding from the fastening flange substantially perpendicularly to the steering axis for bridging a lateral distance to the wheel, a coupling point for the articulated connection of a rocker which is connected to the wheel and a connection piece which is connected integrally to the extension region and to the coupling point, wherein the connection piece is shaped to accommodate a large steering angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Benjamin Wuebbolt-Gorbatenko, Simon Mersmann, Christian Harkort, Andreas Wöllner, Axel Hoffmann
  • Publication number: 20220024268
    Abstract: A wheel module (10) for a motor vehicle includes a wheel (12) and a wheel guide (14) for guiding the wheel (12). The wheel guide (14) includes a wheel carrier unit (16) for supporting the wheel (12); a wheel fork (24) supporting the wheel carrier unit (16); a steering actuator (18) for adjusting the steering angle of the wheel (12); a spring-damper unit (28); and a level adjustment unit (36) for adjusting the height of the vehicle body (32) of the motor vehicle. The spring-damper unit (28) is arranged in a region of the wheel guide (14) between the wheel fork (24) and the wheel carrier unit (16).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Publication date: January 27, 2022
    Applicant: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Benjamin Wuebbolt-Gorbatenko, Manfred Kraus, Christian Harkort
  • Publication number: 20210380166
    Abstract: A motor vehicle (10), in particular an autonomous motor vehicle, includes a steering system (38, 30), a plurality of wheels (18, 20) that can be steered by means of the steering system (28, 30), and wheel housings (24, 26) for said wheels (18, 20). The steering system (28, 30) is designed such that the steering system steers the steerable wheels (18, 20) of a wheel pair in question in the same direction, in the case of joint steering to the left or right at a steering angle a up to a limit angle ag defined by the shape of the corresponding wheel housings (24, 26), and in opposite directions, in the case of steering to the left or right at a steering angle a exceeding the limit angle ?g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2019
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Applicant: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Benjamin Wuebbolt-Gorbatenko, Manfred Kraus, Andreas Wöllner, Christian Harkort, Simon Mersmann
  • Patent number: 11111989
    Abstract: A device for level adjustment for a motor vehicle includes a ball screw. The screw nut of the ball screw is driven by an electric motor. The spindle of the ball screw is displaceable with respect to a housing. The ball screw is supported with respect to the housing using two axial self-aligning bearings with a common pivot point such that the housing can pivot with respect to the spindle, thereby avoiding loads on the balls of the ball screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wilfried Breton, Christian Harkort, Markus Holzberger, Sebastian Sommerkorn, Kilian Marsing
  • Publication number: 20210252928
    Abstract: A fork leg for rotating a wheel of a motor vehicle is provided with a fastening flange for the coaxial, torque-proof fastening of a steering rod, an extension region protruding from the fastening flange substantially perpendicularly to the steering axis for bridging a lateral distance to the wheel, a coupling point for the articulated connection of a rocker which is connected to the wheel and a connection piece which is connected integrally to the extension region and to the coupling point, wherein the connection piece is shaped to accommodate a large steering angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Applicant: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Benjamin Wuebbolt-Gorbatenko, Simon Mersmann, Christian Harkort, Andreas Wöllner, Axel Hoffmann
  • Publication number: 20210122410
    Abstract: A steering head bearing arrangement for mounting a wheel module for a motor vehicle is provided with a steering rod connectable to a steering actuator and a wishbone, and a bearing flange connectable with a support frame of the motor vehicle, first and second roller bearings arranged in the bearing flange for mounting the steering rod, and a retaining ring screwed onto the steering rod for biasing the second roller bearing against the first roller bearing. By biasing the substantially spaced apart roller bearings against each other by means of the screwed-on retaining ring, radial and axial play of the steering rod in the bearing flange can be largely eliminated, thereby allowing to avoid wear-intensive peak stresses and allowing robust mounting of a steering rod of a motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Applicant: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Andreas Wöllner, Benjamin Wuebbolt-Gorbatenko, Simon Mersmann, Christian Harkort, Manfred Kraus
  • Publication number: 20210023899
    Abstract: A wheel module for a motor vehicle is provided with a wheel, a steering rod which can be rotatably mounted on a supporting frame of the motor vehicle for transmitting a steering motion to the wheel, a wishbone connected to the steering rod for forming an articulation point radially offset relative to the wheel, a rocker articulated to the articulation point of the wishbone and to the wheel, and a shock absorber connected to the rocker and the wishbone for damping vibration of a relative movement of the wheel. The shock absorber, in particular including a chassis spring, is arranged to be axially offset in the axial direction of the wheel relative to the wheel. With the shock absorber connected to the wheel and the wishbone and arranged next to the wheel, a large steering angle for a motor vehicle is possible with a small installation space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2019
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Applicant: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Benjamin Wuebbolt-Gorbatenko, Simon Mersmann, Andreas Wöllner, Axel Hoffmann, Christian Harkort, Manfred Kraus
  • Patent number: 10889155
    Abstract: A device for adjusting the height of a motor vehicle body (3), including an actuator (1) for actuating a vertically adjustable spring seat of a suspension spring (15), characterized in that a pin (4) is provided for connecting the device to the vehicle body (3), an actuator side pin section (10) extends through a support eye (6) in a support plate (7) of the actuator (1), and an elastomer support (2) is disposed at least on the face of the support plate (7) facing the vehicle body, between the support plate (7) and a flange (9) provided on the bolt (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Markus Kraus, Christian Harkort, Szilard Josvai, Michael Loos
  • Publication number: 20200324606
    Abstract: A level adjustment system of a vehicle, comprising an electric engine a transmission driven by the electric engine; and a controller programmed to identify a motor current from the electric engine during an upward adjustment or downward adjustment of the vehicle, wherein the controller is further programmed to determine an actuator force generated by an actuator unit utilizing the motor current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventor: Christian HARKORT
  • Publication number: 20200049242
    Abstract: A device for level adjustment for a motor vehicle includes a ball screw. The screw nut of the ball screw is driven by an electric motor. The spindle of the ball screw is displaceable with respect to a housing. The ball screw is supported with respect to the housing using two axial self-aligning bearings with a common pivot point such that the housing can pivot with respect to the spindle, thereby avoiding loads on the balls of the ball screw.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Applicant: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wilfried Breton, Christian Harkort, Markus Holzberger, Sebastian Sommerkorn, Kilian Marsing
  • Publication number: 20180334003
    Abstract: A device for adjusting the height of a motor vehicle body (3), including an actuator (1) for actuating a vertically adjustable spring seat of a suspension spring (15), characterized in that a pin (4) is provided for connecting the device to the vehicle body (3), an actuator side pin section (10) extends through a support eye (6) in a support plate (7) of the actuator (1), and an elastomer support (2) is disposed at least on the face of the support plate (7) facing the vehicle body, between the support plate (7) and a flange (9) provided on the bolt (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Applicant: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Markus Kraus, Christian Harkort, Szilard Josval, Michael Loos