Patents by Inventor Christoph Kleuker

Christoph Kleuker 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: 8267208
    Abstract: A drive unit for a hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine with a crankshaft, a friction clutch with a pressure plate, which can be moved in the axial direction by an actuating arrangement, with a clutch plate, and with a clutch disk arrangement, positioned between these first two components and is connected to the crankshaft. The drive unit also includes an electric machine, which is arranged between the internal combustion engine and the friction clutch, with a stator attached to a stator carrier and with a rotor. The friction clutch comprises a clutch hub, which serves to create at least an indirect connection of the clutch disk arrangement to the crankshaft is detachably connected to the clutch disk arrangement outside the radial dimension of the pressure plate and the clutch plate. An assembly method for assembling such a drive unit is also described, where a preassembled unit including at least the electric machine and the friction clutch is attached to an internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Christoph Kleuker
  • Publication number: 20100187028
    Abstract: A drive unit for a hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine with a crankshaft, a friction clutch with a pressure plate, which can be moved in the axial direction by an actuating arrangement, with a clutch plate, and with a clutch disk arrangement, positioned between these first two components and is connected to the crankshaft. The drive unit also includes an electric machine, which is arranged between the internal combustion engine and the friction clutch, with a stator attached to a stator carrier and with a rotor. The friction clutch comprises a clutch hub, which serves to create at least an indirect connection of the clutch disk arrangement to the crankshaft is detachably connected to the clutch disk arrangement outside the radial dimension of the pressure plate and the clutch plate. An assembly method for assembling such a drive unit is also described, where a preassembled unit including at least the electric machine and the friction clutch is attached to an internal combustion engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Christoph Kleuker
  • Publication number: 20080113846
    Abstract: A combination drive unit including an internal combustion engine and an electric machine, where the internal combustion engine includes a housing with a crankshaft supported therein; where the electric machine includes a rotor with a rotor shaft, the rotor being supported rotatably on a stationary component, and a stator, which is mounted radially with respect to the rotor. The crankshaft is in working connection with the rotor shaft at least indirectly and at least temporarily by way of a coupling. For the event that the crankshaft and the rotor shaft are offset from each other, the unit has separate first and second compensating devices, so that the wobbling forces which occur during operation of the unit can be absorbed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Peter Wiggen, Bernd Peinemann, Olaf Pagels, Manfred Zimmer, Christoph Kleuker, Udo Niehaus, Michael Kuhner, Steffen Matschas, Alexander Bartha
  • Publication number: 20060289209
    Abstract: An electromotive drive module for installation in a housing between an internal combustion engine and a transmission of a motor vehicle power train. The drive module includes an electric machine with a stator and a rotor and first and second clutch devices, by means of which the rotor can be connected when desired to the internal combustion engine and/or to the transmission for the transmission of torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2006
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Inventors: Wolfgang Grosspietsch, Jorg Sudau, Rudiger Herbst, Christoph Kleuker, Manfred Zimmer, Thomas Busold, Steffen Matschas, Thorsten Muller
  • Patent number: 6814197
    Abstract: An actuating device for a friction clutch device installed in the drive train of a motor vehicle introduces actuating forces, especially clutch-engaging or clutch-releasing forces, to the friction clutch device to actuate at least one friction clutch of the friction clutch device in the engaging or releasing direction. At least one actuating element assigned to a friction clutch can be shifted axially relative to at least one support element, which is essentially fixed in the axial direction, to exert the actuating forces. The actuating element belongs to an actuator assigned to the clutch or can be shifted axially relative to the support element by the intermediate action of an actuator assigned to the clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Markus Heiartz, Andreas Orlamünder, Sebastian Vogt, Olaf Pagels, Georg Zink, Christoph Kleuker
  • Patent number: 6814204
    Abstract: A crankshaft 2 of an internal combustion engine, which is supported with freedom to rotate around an axis of rotation 3, can be connected by a first clutch 1 to a flywheel 4, which is also supported with freedom to rotate around the axis of rotation 3. In addition, the flywheel 4 can be connected by a second clutch 5 to a transmission shaft 6, also supported with freedom to rotate around the axis of rotation 3. The flywheel 4 is provided with at least one permanent magnet and thus forms the rotor 8 of a crankshaft starter-generator. The pole fields of the permanent magnets can be moved past the stator coil of a stator 9 of the crankshaft starter-generator, this coil being mounted on a stationary component. Each of the first and the second clutches 1, 5 has its own separately operated actuating means and can be engaged and disengaged either independently of each other or in common.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Matthias Diemer, Christoph Kleuker, Markus Heiartz
  • Publication number: 20040149536
    Abstract: A force-exerting element for a friction clutch includes a ring-like body with an outer edge area and an inner edge area. Openings provided in the body include a first group of openings open toward the outer edge area and a second group of openings open toward the inner edge area. The radial extent of circumferentially adjacent openings of the first group of opening and of the second group of openings overlap each other in the radial direction at the ends facing way from their associated edge areas or extend along approximately the same radial area. A radial support arrangement is arranged on the body to provide at least certain areas of support in the radial direction against the effects of centrifugal force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Applicant: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Sebastian Vogt, Markus Heiartz, Michael Peterseim, Frank Hirschmann, Christoph Kleuker, Angelika Ebert, Bernd Peinemann, Matthias Muller, Wolfgang Reisser, Matthias Dorfler
  • Publication number: 20040084275
    Abstract: A friction clutch includes a housing having an axis of rotation; a pressure plate connected to the housing for rotation in common; a force exerting arrangement supported against the housing and the pressure plate; an actuator mechanism which acts on the force exerting arrangement to load the pressure plate axially with respect to the housing; and a bearing arrangement for supporting the actuator mechanism axially with respect to the housing so that it is prevented from moving in either axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicant: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Andreas Orlamunder, Olaf Pagels, Christoph Kleuker, Markus Heiartz, Sebastian Vogt
  • Patent number: 6702082
    Abstract: A leaf spring arrangement, especially for connecting a pressure plate to a housing, comprises a plurality of adjacent leaf spring elements, where each leaf spring element has a first attachment area for establishing the connection the pressure plate, a second attachment area for establishing the connection to the housing, and a connecting area extending between the first attachment area and the second attachment area. At least certain areas of at least two of the leaf spring elements are spaced apart between their first attachment area and their second attachment area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Matthias Dörfler, Andreas Orlamünder, Andreas Dau, Albert Kammermeier, Hartmut Bach, Cora Carlson, Günther Esly, Reinhard Feldhaus, Ingrid Hoffelner, Christoph Kleuker, Paul Kraus, Bernd Peinemann, Michael Peterseim, Gerhard R{overscore (o)}ll, Ralf Till, Sebastian Vogt
  • Publication number: 20030168302
    Abstract: A crankshaft 2 of an internal combustion engine, which is supported with freedom to rotate around an axis of rotation 3, can be connected by a first clutch 1 to a flywheel 4, which is also supported with freedom to rotate around the axis of rotation 3. In addition, the flywheel 4 can be connected by a second clutch 5 to a transmission shaft 6, also supported with freedom to rotate around the axis of rotation 3. The flywheel 4 is provided with at least one permanent magnet and thus forms the rotor 8 of a crankshaft starter-generator. The pole fields of the permanent magnets can be moved past the stator coil of a stator 9 of the crankshaft starter-generator, this coil being mounted on a stationary component. Each of the first and the second clutches 1, 5 has its own separately operated actuating means and can be engaged and disengaged either independently of each other or in common.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2003
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Applicant: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Matthias Diemer, Christoph Kleuker, Markus Heiartz
  • Patent number: 6578687
    Abstract: A pressure plate assembly for a friction clutch includes a housing arrangement and a pressure plate arrangement, which is held by at least one leaf spring arrangement with freedom of axial movement relative to the housing arrangement. The at least one leaf spring arrangement is fixed by a first attachment area to a first fastening area of the pressure plate arrangement and by a second attachment area to a second fastening area of the housing arrangement. The end area of the first fastening area and/or the second fastening area curves away from the minimum of one leaf spring arrangement, this end area being located in the area along which the at least one leaf spring arrangement extends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Andreas Dau, Andreas Orlamünder, Albert Kammermeier, Hartmut Bach, Cora Carlson, Matthias Dörfler, Günther Esly, Reinhard Feldhaus, Ingrid Hoffelner, Christoph Kleuker, Paul Kraus, Bernd Peinemann, Michael Peterseim, Gerhard Röll, Ralf Till, Sebastian Vogt
  • Publication number: 20030075412
    Abstract: An actuating device for a friction clutch device installed in the drive train of a motor vehicle introduces actuating forces, especially clutch-engaging or clutch-releasing forces, to the friction clutch device to actuate at least one friction clutch of the friction clutch device in the engaging or releasing direction. At least one actuating element assigned to a friction clutch can be shifted axially relative to at least one support element, which is essentially fixed in the axial direction, to exert the actuating forces. The actuating element belongs to an actuator assigned to the clutch or can be shifted axially relative to the support element by the intermediate action of an actuator assigned to the clutch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Applicant: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Markus Heiartz, Andreas Orlamunder, Sebastian Vogt, Olaf Pagels, Georg Zink, Christoph Kleuker
  • Publication number: 20020179396
    Abstract: A housing arrangement is coupled to a pressure plate arrangement by at least a first coupling arrangement so as to be relatively movable in direction of an axis of rotation (A). The first coupling arrangement comprises at least one coupling element which is secured at least in a first coupling area to a coupling portion of the pressure plate arrangement and is secured in a second coupling area to a coupling portion of the housing arrangement. The at least one coupling element of the at least first coupling arrangement comprises fiber material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Applicant: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Hartmut Bach, Cora Carlson, Matthias Dorfler, Gunther Esly, Reinhard Feldhaus, Ingrid Hoffelner, Christoph Kleuker, Paul Kraus, Andreas Orlamunder, Bernd Peinemann, Michael Peterseim, Gerhard Roll, Ralf Till, Sebastian Vogt, Andreas Dau
  • Publication number: 20020180131
    Abstract: A pressure plate is held by at least one leaf spring arrangement so as to be movable axially with respect to the housing. The at least one leaf spring arrangement cooperates in a first coupling area thereof with the pressure plate for transmission of force and cooperates in a second coupling area thereof with the housing for transmission of force. For this purpose, the at least one leaf spring arrangement cooperates in one of first coupling area and second coupling area with the component group of housing and pressure plate cooperating with this coupling area for transmission of force in order to transmit force in only one circumferential direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Applicant: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Hartmut Bach, Cora Carlson, Matthias Dorfler, Gunther Esly, Reinhard Feldhaus, Ingrid Hoffelner, Christoph Kleuker, Paul Kraus, Andreas Orlamunder, Bernd Peinemann, Michael Peterseim, Gerhard Roll, Ralf Till, Sebastian Vogt, Andreas Dau
  • Publication number: 20020179397
    Abstract: A thrust plate assembly comprises a housing arrangement and a pressure plate arrangement which is coupled by at least one coupling arrangement to the housing arrangement so as to be movable in direction of an axis of rotation (A). It further comprises an axial path limiting arrangement for limiting the axial movement of the pressure plate arrangement with respect to the housing arrangement in an axial movement direction, this axial path limiting arrangement having, at the housing arrangement, at least one stop area which is contacted by a counter-stop area of the pressure plate arrangement associated with this stop area when the pressure plate arrangement assumes a predetermined relative position with respect to the housing arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Applicant: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Hartmut Bach, Cora Carlson, Matthias Dorfler, Gunther Esly, Reinhard Feldhaus, Ingrid Hoffelner, Christoph Kleuker, Paul Kraus, Andreas Orlamunder, Bernd Peinemann, Michael Peterseim, Gerhard Roll, Ralf Till, Sebastian Vogt, Andreas Dau
  • Publication number: 20020179399
    Abstract: A pressure plate is held in a housing so as to be movable in direction of an axis of rotation (A) and is acted upon or can be acted upon by an energy accumulator. The pressure plate is coupled with the housing by at least one coupling arrangement which acts upon the pressure plate axially during torque transmission. The thrust plate assembly further comprises a lifting force generating arrangement for generating a lifting force for the pressure plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Applicant: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Hartmut Bach, Cora Carlson, Matthias Dorfler, Gunther Esly, Reinhard Feldhaus, Ingrid Hoffelner, Christoph Kleuker, Paul Kraus, Andreas Orlamunder, Bernd Peinemann, Michael Peterseim, Gerhard Roll, Ralf Till, Sebastian Vogt, Andreas Dau
  • Publication number: 20020070089
    Abstract: A leaf spring arrangement, especially for connecting a pressure plate to a housing, comprises a plurality of adjacent leaf spring elements, where each leaf spring element has a first attachment area for establishing the connection the pressure plate, a second attachment area for establishing the connection to the housing, and a connecting area extending between the first attachment area and the second attachment area. At least certain areas of at least two of the leaf spring elements are spaced apart between their first attachment area and their second attachment area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Applicant: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Matthias Dorfler, Andreas Orlamunder, Andreas Dau, Albert Kammermeier, Hartmut Bach, Cora Carlson, Gunther Esly, Reinhard Feldhaus, Ingrid Hoffelner, Christoph Kleuker, Paul Kraus, Ralf Till, Sebastian Vogt
  • Publication number: 20020066633
    Abstract: A pressure plate assembly for a friction clutch includes a housing arrangement and a pressure plate arrangement, which is held by at least one leaf spring arrangement with freedom of axial movement relative to the housing arrangement. The at least one leaf spring arrangement is fixed by a first attachment area to a first fastening area of the pressure plate arrangement and by a second attachment area to a second fastening area of the housing arrangement. The end area of the first fastening area and/or the second fastening area curves away from the minimum of one leaf spring arrangement, this end area being located in the area along which the at least one leaf spring arrangement extends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Publication date: June 6, 2002
    Applicant: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Andreas Dau, Andreas Orlamunder, Albert Kammermeier, Hartmut Bach, Cora Carlson, Matthias Dorfler, Gunther Esly, Reinhard Feldhaus, Ingrid Hoffelner, Christoph Kleuker, Paul Kraus, Bernd Peinemann, Michael Peterseim, Gerhard Roll, Ralf Till, Sebastian Vogt
  • Publication number: 20020066634
    Abstract: A thrust plate assembly comprises a housing having a rotational axis, a pressure plate arrangement which is movable axially in the housing arrangement, and at least one coupling arrangement by which the pressure plate is coupled with the housing for transmission of torque, wherein a force component acting axially upon the pressure plate can be generated by the at least one coupling arrangement when the pressure plate is acted upon by rotational force in a first direction with respect to the housing arrangement. The at least one coupling arrangement is connected in a first coupling area thereof with a first coupling portion of the pressure plate and is connected in a second coupling area thereof with a second coupling portion of the housing, wherein the first coupling area and the second coupling area of the at least one coupling arrangement are axially offset relative to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2001
    Publication date: June 6, 2002
    Applicant: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Hartmut Bach, Cora Carlson, Andreas Dau, Matthias Dorfler, Gunther Esly, Reinhard Feldhaus, Ingrid Hoffelner, Christoph Kleuker, Paul Kraus, Andreas Orlamunder, Bernd Peinemann, Michael Peterseim, Gerhard Roll, Ralf Till, Sebastian Vogt, Thomas Schwingenstein