Patents by Inventor Christian Witala

Christian Witala 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: 11752825
    Abstract: An air suspension system for a motor vehicle and a method of operating thereof includes an air suspension device for adjusting a ride-height position of the motor vehicle by the feeding and removal of compressed air into a plurality of air springs. The system also includes a dryer supplied via a compressed-air supply unit which has a compressor driven by an electric motor. A control unit for performing a ride-height control function has instruction for: raising the ride-height position to a first ride-height position; subsequently lowering the ride-height position to a second ride-height position; checking a first condition whether a determined air quantity ratio is less than a first predetermined air quantity limit value; checking a second condition whether a saturation level of the dryer is greater than a saturation limit value, and activating the ride-height control function when either the first or the second condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventors: Dierk Hein, Christian Witala, Volkan Sirke, Holger Oldenettel
  • Publication number: 20220176767
    Abstract: An air suspension system for a motor vehicle and a method of operating thereof includes an air suspension device for adjusting a ride-height position of the motor vehicle by the feeding and removal of compressed air into a plurality of air springs. The system also includes a dryer supplied via a compressed-air supply unit which has a compressor driven by an electric motor. A control unit for performing a ride-height control function has instruction for: raising the ride-height position to a first ride-height position; subsequently lowering the ride-height position to a second ride-height position; checking a first condition whether a determined air quantity ratio is less than a first predetermined air quantity limit value; checking a second condition whether a saturation level of the dryer is greater than a saturation limit value, and activating the ride-height control function when either the first or the second condition is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2021
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Applicant: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventors: Dierk Hein, Christian Witala, Volkan Sirke, Holger Oldenettel
  • Publication number: 20220144033
    Abstract: A compressed air supply device for an air suspension system of a motor vehicle comprising a motor-driven compressor, a dryer, a discharge path from the dryer to the outside, and an adjustment device for changing a flow cross section of the discharge path is provided in the discharge path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Applicant: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventor: Christian Witala
  • Patent number: 10391830
    Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated air-supply unit, in particular for air-suspension systems for motor vehicles, said unit comprising an air compressor having an electric motor and an air dryer. The air compressor together with the electric motor, air dryer and a number of pneumatic connections form a functional unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Joachim Bohn, Christian Courth, Uwe Folchert, Christoph Voss, Michael Zydek, Dierk Hein, Hinz Axel, Christian Witala
  • Patent number: 9829248
    Abstract: A dryer circuit for a pneumatic regulating device of a vehicle, comprising an air dryer, and a first compressor, wherein the first compressor is designed to compress system air present in the pneumatic regulating device, wherein the air dryer, the first compressor and subsystems, which can be connected to the first compressor, of the pneumatic regulating device are arranged in such a way that, in the operating mode of a closed air supply, air delivered between the components of one of the subsystems by the first compressor is delivered so as to bypass the air dryer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Uwe Folchert, Dierk Hein, Christian Witala
  • Publication number: 20170036505
    Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated air-supply unit, in particular for air-suspension systems for motor vehicles, said unit comprising an air compressor having an electric motor and an air dryer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Applicant: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Joachim Bohn, Christian Courth, Uwe Folchert, Christoph Voss, Michael Zydek, Dierk Hein, Hinz Axel, Christian Witala
  • Publication number: 20140059876
    Abstract: A dryer circuit for a pneumatic regulating device of a vehicle, comprising an air dryer, and a first compressor, wherein the first compressor is designed to compress system air present in the pneumatic regulating device, wherein the air dryer, the first compressor and subsystems, which can be connected to the first compressor, of the pneumatic regulating device are arranged in such a way that, in the operating mode of a closed air supply, air delivered between the components of one of the subsystems by the first compressor is delivered so as to bypass the air dryer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Inventors: Uwe Folchert, Dierk Hein, Christian Witala
  • Patent number: 8490991
    Abstract: A method for controlling the regeneration cycles for an air dryer in a closed ride height control system for vehicles. Compressed air chambers and a compressed air storage reservoir are charged with compressed air and ventilated via a compressed air line, or are charged via a compressed air intake line connected to the compressor and ventilated via the compressed air line. Compressed air quantity delivered through the dryer by the compressor, and temperature and/or the humidity of the air sucked in from the atmosphere are measured. The dryer is considered saturated under the assumption that air sucked in by the compressor and delivered through the air dryer is at the highest possible ambient temperature and humidity. Regeneration air quantity required for the compressed air quantity for the dryer to attain the desired dew point is determined as a function of the ambient temperature and/or the humidity of the intake air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & CO oHG
    Inventors: Uwe Folchert, Heike Ilias, Christian Witala, Dierk Hein
  • Publication number: 20110278804
    Abstract: A method for controlling the regeneration cycles for an air dryer in a closed ride height control system for vehicles. Compressed air chambers and a compressed air storage reservoir are charged with compressed air and ventilated via a compressed air line, or are charged via a compressed air intake line connected to the compressor and ventilated via the compressed air line. Compressed air quantity delivered through the dryer by the compressor, and temperature and/or the humidity of the air sucked in from the atmosphere are measured. The dryer is considered saturated under the assumption that air sucked in by the compressor and delivered through the air dryer is at the highest possible ambient temperature and humidity. Regeneration air quantity required for the compressed air quantity for the dryer to attain the desired dew point is determined as a function of the ambient temperature and/or the humidity of the intake air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: Continental Teves AG & Co., oHG
    Inventors: Uwe Folchert, Heike Ilias, Christian Witala, Dierk Hein