Patents by Inventor Christian Schwemer

Christian Schwemer 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: 8467947
    Abstract: A method for operating a hydraulic system of an automatic transmission, in particular in a hybrid drivetrain, in which the hydraulic system comprises a main pump that is powered by an internal combustion engine and/or an electric drive motor, an electric auxiliary pump and a system pressure valve for setting a system pressure, to ensure various operating functions. In addition to the main pump, the electric auxiliary pump also supplies the hydraulic system with a volume flow of an operating medium. The loading of the electric auxiliary pump is determined in an electronic control unit with regard to the value of the system pressure and the loading of the electric auxiliary pump is limited, by the electronic control unit, with regard to the selected operating function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Tobias Zollner, Bernd Allgaier, Christian Schwemer
  • Publication number: 20110144846
    Abstract: A method for operating a hydraulic system of an automatic transmission, in particular in a hybrid drivetrain, in which the hydraulic system comprises a main pump that is powered by an internal combustion engine and/or an electric drive motor, an electric auxiliary pump and a system pressure valve for setting a system pressure, to ensure various operating functions. In addition to the main pump, the electric auxiliary pump also supplies the hydraulic system with a volume flow of an operating medium. The loading of the electric auxiliary pump is determined in an electronic control unit with regard to the value of the system pressure and the loading of the electric auxiliary pump is limited, by the electronic control unit, with regard to the selected operating function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Tobias Zöllner, Bernd ALLGAIER, Christian SCHWEMER
  • Patent number: 7770676
    Abstract: A method for operating a parallel hybrid powertrain (1) of a vehicle having one internal combustion engine (2) and one electric motor (3). The electric motor is located in the drivetrain between an output and the internal combustion engine. Between the internal combustion engine and the electric motor, a frictionally engaged shifting element is provided, while between the electric motor and the output, a starting element (6) having a hydrodynamic torque converter (6A) and a converter lock-up clutch (6B) is disposed. A target output torque to be applied to the output is dependent on the slippage of the starting element. During a starting phase of the internal combustion engine via the electric motor, an input torque produced by the electric motor is directed at least in part via the torque converter and in part via the converter lock-up clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Friedrich Tenbrock, Peter Schiele, Johannes Kaltenbach, Bernd Allgaier, Christian Schwemer, Michael Gromus, Martin Neumann, Klaus Habe
  • Patent number: 7664580
    Abstract: A method for operating power train side components of a motor vehicle. Using a control device of a motor, at least one motor parameter is issued and delivered via a databus to at least one control device of one other power drive side component working independently of the motor control device in order to operate all or each one of the power drive side components dependent. in a first inventive aspect, a behavior of the respective other power drive side components that adjusts itself according to the motor torque actually made available by the motor is evaluated. In second inventive aspect, the motor torque issued by the motor control device is compared with a torque stored according to motor operation parameters in the control device working independently of the motor control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Christian Popp, Georg Gierer, Thilo Schmidt, Klaus Steinhauser, Peter Schiele, Bernd Allgaier, Christian Schwemer, Ruben Cüppers
  • Publication number: 20090178866
    Abstract: A method for operating a drive train of a motor vehicle that includes at least a hybrid drive with a combustion engine and an electric motor, a transmission arranged between the hybrid drive and a drive output, and a clutch arranged between the combustion engine and the electric motor, such that when the combustion engine is stopped during electric operation of the drive train the combustion engine can be started by engaging the clutch between the combustion engine and the electric motor. Before the combustion engine is started by the electric motor at least one friction element, which is arranged between the hybrid drive and the drive output, is operated at a slipping limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Christian SCHWEMER, Martin-Joachim Bader
  • Patent number: 7416071
    Abstract: A braking method for a vehicle is proposed as a safety measure and replacement function if the brake system fails, in particular the X-by-wire brake system of a motor vehicle, in which the vehicle is braked with the help of the transmission by a defined engagement of frictional shift elements until the vehicle comes to rest, such that the combination of frictional shift elements actuated when the vehicle's working brake system fails does not correspond to the shift logic of a gear during normal driving operation of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Christian Popp, Peter Schiele, Christian Schwemer, Georg Gierer, Klaus Steinhauser, Bernd Allgaier
  • Publication number: 20080006501
    Abstract: The invention relates to a multi-disk clutch or multi-disk brake (1, 2), comprising an inner disk carrier (4) carrying internal disks (3) and an outer disk carrier (6) carrying external disks (5), friction linings (7, 7?) on the internal and external disks (3, 5), a first end disk (9), on which a closing force for the multi-disk clutch or multi-disk brake can be applied by a piston (10) of a piston-cylinder arrangement which can be actuated by a pressure medium, and a second end disk (8), which forms an axial abutment for the clutch pack (14) formed by the disks (3, 5, 8, 9), wherein the multi-disk clutch or multi-disk brake (1, 2) and/or the components encompassing the clutch or the brake are configured such that the internal and external disks (3, 5) can be wetted with a cooling oil (13). So as to improve heat dissipation during operation, it is provided that the multi-disk clutch or multi-disk brake (1, 2) is configured such that the cooling oil (13) can be directed axially through the clutch pack (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Josef Haupt, Thilo Schmidt, Peter Schiele, Tobias Miller, Christian Schwemer
  • Publication number: 20070246273
    Abstract: A method for operating a parallel hybrid powertrain (1) of a vehicle having one internal combustion engine (2) and one electric motor (3). The electric motor is located in the drivetrain between an output and the internal combustion engine. Between the internal combustion engine and the electric motor, a frictionally engaged shifting element is provided, while between the electric motor and the output, a starting element (6) having a hydrodynamic torque converter (6A) and a converter lock-up clutch (6B) is disposed. A target output torque to be applied to the output is dependent on the slippage of the starting element. During a starting phase of the internal combustion engine via the electric motor, an input torque produced by the electric motor is directed at least in part via the torque converter and in part via the converter lock-up clutch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Friedrich Tenbrock, Peter Schiele, Johannes Kaltenbach, Bernd Allgaier, Christian Schwemer, Michael Gromus, Martin Neumann, Klaus Habe
  • Patent number: 7266472
    Abstract: A method for determining an oil condition, namely, an oil condition corresponding to the oil age or oil damage, with the following steps: a) measuring a temperature of the oil or of the part through which the oil flows, coordinating each temperature measured with one temperature range defined by an upper limit and/or a lower limit; b) as soon as the measured temperature exceeds or falls below a limit of a temperature range, measuring the period of time during which the measured temperature dwells in this range; c) in addition, integrating an oil flow running during this time over the time period measured in step b); d) from the time period measured in step b) and the integral of the oil flow determined in step c), determining an oil age or oil damage characteristic for the current temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Dieter Neumann, Christian Schwemer, Rainer Grundler, Jens Wagner
  • Publication number: 20070085497
    Abstract: A method for operating power train side components of a motor vehicle. Using a control device of a motor, at least one motor parameter is issued and delivered via a databus to at least one control device of one other power drive side component working independently of the motor control device in order to operate all or each one of the power drive side components dependent in a first inventive aspect, a behavior of the respective other power drive side components that adjusts itself according to the motor torque actually made available by the motor is evaluated. In second inventive aspect, the motor torque issued by the motor control device is compared with a torque stored according to motor operation parameters in the control device working independently of the motor control device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Publication date: April 19, 2007
    Inventors: Christian Popp, Georg Gierer, Thilo Schmidt, Klaus Steinhauser, Peter Schiele, Bernd Allgaier, Christian Schwemer, Ruben Cuppers
  • Publication number: 20060155502
    Abstract: A method for determining an oil condition, namely, an oil condition corresponding to the oil age or oil damage, with the following steps: a) measuring a temperature of the oil or of the part through which the oil flows, coordinating each temperature measured with one temperature range defined by an upper limit and/or a lower limit; b) as soon as the measured temperature exceeds or falls below a limit of a temperature range, measuring the period of time during which the measured temperature dwells in this range; c) in addition, integrating an oil flow running during this time over the time period measured in step b); d) from the time period measured in step b) and the integral of the oil flow determined in step c), determining an oil age or oil damage characteristic for the current temperature range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Publication date: July 13, 2006
    Inventors: Dieter Neumann, Christian Schwemer, Rainer Grundler, Jens Wagner
  • Publication number: 20060113158
    Abstract: A braking method for a vehicle is proposed as a safety measure and replacement function if the brake system fails, in particular the X-by-wire brake system of a motor vehicle, in which the vehicle is braked with the help of the transmission by a defined engagement of frictional shift elements until the vehicle comes to rest, such that the combination of frictional shift elements actuated when the vehicle's working brake system fails does not correspond to the shift logic of a gear during normal driving operation of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2004
    Publication date: June 1, 2006
    Inventors: Christian Popp, Peter Schiele, Christian Schwemer, Georg Gierer, Klaus Steinhauser, Bernd Allgaier