Patents by Inventor Claus Viethen

Claus Viethen 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: 20250091433
    Abstract: An accelerator pedal device for an x-by-wire system of a motor vehicle, having a housing, a pedal lever, which is rotatably mounted on the housing via a first bearing and via a second bearing which is axially spaced from the first bearing, and a load component which is designed in such a way that the pedal lever is radially loaded by the load component at the bearings, wherein both bearings are formed by a bearing surface of the pedal lever and a corresponding mating bearing surface of the housing, and wherein the bearing surface and the corresponding mating bearing surface of one of the bearings or both bearings are made conical on one side in the axial direction or one of the bearing is made conical on both sides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2024
    Publication date: March 20, 2025
    Applicant: HELLA Gmbh & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Gilbert GRUNOW, Claus VIETHEN
  • Patent number: 12252108
    Abstract: A braking system for a vehicle, having a brake pedal, a position sensor unit for determining position data regarding an actuation distance and/or a pivot angle of the brake pedal of the vehicle, a force sensor unit for determining force data regarding an operating force with which the brake pedal is operated, a control unit, and an additional control unit. The position sensor unit has a signal connection to the control unit and to the additional control unit for transmitting the position data to the control unit as well as to the additional control unit. The force sensor unit has a signal connection to the control unit and to the additional control unit for transmitting the force data to the control unit as well as to the additional control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Kerim Florian Huge, Andreas Mueller, Fabian Utermoehlen, Claus Viethen
  • Patent number: 12187253
    Abstract: A pedal sensor is provided with a carrier that can be mounted to a motor vehicle. A housing is formed at the carrier, and a pedal arm is mounted on the carrier so as to be pivotable. A mechanism to transmit movements of the pedal arm relative to the carrier is arranged in the housing, and a sensor for measuring the movements is provided. A damping element is fixed to the carrier in a groove in such a way that any contact between the pedal arm and the carrier is dampened. The damping element is securely held on the carrier. This is achieved by the damping element being secured on both sides against slipping out of the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Heinrich-Reinhold (Heinz) Brües, Kristin Gees, Ali Kemal Kücükyavuz, Sascha Kuhlmann, Ahmet Özcapci, Ruben Pella, Lothar Rehage, Ralf Ridder, Claus Viethen
  • Publication number: 20240351562
    Abstract: A pedal emulator for a vehicle that comprises a pedal lever that can be rotated about a first axis of rotation, a power generation unit that has a coupling element mechanically coupled to the pedal lever, and a reset carrier rotatable about a second axis of rotation. The power generation unit is set up to apply a counterforce to the pedal lever via the coupling element. A mechanical operative connection between the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation can be established via the coupling element. The coupling element is deformable when a driver exerts an actuating force on the pedal lever that is greater than the predefined maximum actuating force. The pedal emulator also has a first rotary sensor to detect a first rotation on the first axis of rotation and a second rotary sensor to detect a second rotation on the second axis of rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2024
    Publication date: October 24, 2024
    Applicant: HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Werner AUSTERMEIER, Gilbert GRUNOW, Ali Kemal KUECUEKYAVUZ, Claus Viethen
  • Patent number: 12043112
    Abstract: A pedal for a motor vehicle is provided, having a pedal arm with at least one first resetting spring and with a friction system comprising a separate friction element and a friction surface of the base part corresponding to the separate friction element. The friction system features a rocker arranged in a rotatable manner on the base part and the at least one first resetting spring is arranged between the separate friction element and the rocker. The separate friction element is connected in a pressure-transmitting manner with the pedal arm by the at least one first resetting spring and at least one connection element. At least one second resetting spring is arranged between one bearing part connected in a pressure-transmitting manner with the pedal arm by the at least one connection element and the base part or the rocker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Werner Austermeier, Kerim Florian Huge, Andreas Mueller, Ralf Ridder, David Schliwa, Claus Viethen, Bernd Schmitt, Robert Schuermann
  • Publication number: 20240241536
    Abstract: A pedal emulator for a vehicle, having a rotational axis, a pedal lever that can be rotated about the rotational axis, and a force generation unit for exerting a counterforce on the pedal lever via at least one coupling element of the force generation unit that is mechanically coupled to the pedal lever. The counterforce acting in the opposite direction to an actuation force exerted on the pedal lever. The force generation unit can be designed such that a curve of the counterforce along a pedal path of the pedal lever is in the form of a non-linear curve in a pedal path-counterforce diagram.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2024
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Applicant: HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Werner AUSTERMEIER, Kerim Florian HUGE, Andreas MUELLER, Ralf RIDDER, Claus VIETHEN
  • Publication number: 20240227748
    Abstract: A pedal emulator for a vehicle, having a rotational axis, a pedal lever that can be rotated about the rotational axis, and a force generation unit for exerting a counterforce on the pedal lever via at least one coupling element of the force generation unit that is mechanically coupled to the pedal lever. Whereby the counterforce acts in the opposite direction to an actuation force exerted on the pedal lever. The force generation unit is designed such that a curve of the counterforce along a pedal path of the pedal lever is in the form of a non-linear curve in a pedal path-counterforce diagram.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2024
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Applicant: HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Werner AUSTERMEIER, Kerim Florian HUGE, Andreas MUELLER, Ralf RIDDER, Claus VIETHEN
  • Patent number: 11999337
    Abstract: A pedal emulator for a vehicle is provided comprising a base part for mounting the pedal emulator to a structure of the vehicle. A pedal lever is pivotable around a rotary axis of the base part. A force generation unit exerts a counterforce on the pedal lever by means of at least one coupling element for mechanically coupling the force generation unit with the pedal lever. The counterforce works counter to an actuating force exerted on the pedal lever. The force generation unit and the coupling element are designed and arranged in such a way that a progression of the counterforce along a pedal travel of the pedal lever (6) takes the form of a non-linear progression in a pedal travel-counterforce diagram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Werner Austermeier, Dennis Mark Burke, Kerim Florian Huge, Andreas Mueller, Ralf Ridder, Claus Viethen
  • Publication number: 20230018082
    Abstract: A braking system for a vehicle, having a brake pedal, a position sensor unit for determining position data regarding an actuation distance and/or a pivot angle of the brake pedal of the vehicle, a force sensor unit for determining force data regarding an operating force with which the brake pedal is operated, a control unit, and an additional control unit. The position sensor unit has a signal connection to the control unit and to the additional control unit for transmitting the position data to the control unit as well as to the additional control unit. The force sensor unit has a signal connection to the control unit and to the additional control unit for transmitting the force data to the control unit as well as to the additional control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Applicant: HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Kerim Florian HUGE, Andreas MUELLER, Fabian UTERMOEHLEN, Claus VIETHEN
  • Publication number: 20220348170
    Abstract: A pedal sensor is provided with a carrier that can be mounted to a motor vehicle. A housing is formed at the carrier, and a pedal arm is mounted on the carrier so as to be pivotable. A mechanism to transmit movements of the pedal arm relative to the carrier is arranged in the housing, and a sensor for measuring the movements is provided. A damping element is fixed to the carrier in a groove in such a way that any contact between the pedal arm and the carrier is dampened. The damping element is securely held on the carrier. This is achieved by the damping element being secured on both sides against slipping out of the groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Heinrich-Reinhold (Heinz) Brües, Kristin Gees, Ali Kemal Kücükyavuz, Sascha Kuhlmann, Ahmet Özcapci, Ruben Pella, Lothar Rehage, Ralf Ridder, Claus Viethen
  • Publication number: 20220169116
    Abstract: A pedal for a motor vehicle is provided, having a pedal arm with at least one first resetting spring and with a friction system comprising a separate friction element and a friction surface of the base part corresponding to the separate friction element. The friction system features a rocker arranged in a rotatable manner on the base part and the at least one first resetting spring is arranged between the separate friction element and the rocker. The separate friction element is connected in a pressure-transmitting manner with the pedal arm by the at least one first resetting spring and at least one connection element. At least one second resetting spring is arranged between one bearing part connected in a pressure-transmitting manner with the pedal arm by the at least one connection element and the base part or the rocker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventors: Werner Austermeier, Kerim Florian Huge, Andreas Mueller, Ralf Ridder, David Schliwa, Claus Viethen, Bernd Schmitt, Robert Schuermann
  • Publication number: 20220089135
    Abstract: A pedal emulator for a vehicle is provided comprising a base part for mounting the pedal emulator to a structure of the vehicle. A pedal lever is pivotable around a rotary axis of the base part. A force generation unit exerts a counterforce on the pedal lever by means of at least one coupling element for mechanically coupling the force generation unit with the pedal lever. The counterforce works counter to an actuating force exerted on the pedal lever. The force generation unit and the coupling element are designed and arranged in such a way that a progression of the counterforce along a pedal travel of the pedal lever (6) takes the form of a non-linear progression in a pedal travel-counterforce diagram.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2020
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: Werner Austermeier, Dennis Mark Burke, Kerim Florian Huge, Andreas Mueller, Ralf Ridder, Claus Viethen
  • Patent number: 11225141
    Abstract: A standing pedal is provided for a vehicle, comprising a support, a pedal arm, a rocker, a return spring for forcing the pedal arm into a direction of an idle position of the pedal arm, and a power transmission element. The return spring is linked to the support and the rocker in a power transmitting manner. The power transmission element is linked to the pedal arm and the rocker in a power transmitting manner. In order to provide a standing pedal for a vehicle, which is robust and shows an enhanced durability, the pivot axis of the pedal arm and the power transmission element are located on a common first side of the rocker with respect to a basic part of the rocker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Ralf Ridder, Claus Viethen
  • Publication number: 20210271285
    Abstract: A pedal assembly for a motor vehicle with at least one support and at least two pedals, each comprising a pedal arm mounted to the at least one support and pivotable around a corresponding pivot axis, a sensor for detecting a rotational movement of the pedal arm around the pivot axis and an interface for an electrical contact of the sensor with a control unit of the motor vehicle. In order to provide a pedal assembly for a motor vehicle, which shows an easy design, the at least one support is designed as a single base plate for the at least two pedals and at least one of the at least two pedals is housed by the single base plate, whereat the pedal arm of the housed pedal is extending through a pedal arm opening of the single base plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Applicant: HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventor: Claus VIETHEN
  • Patent number: 11091032
    Abstract: In order to provide a pedal for a motor vehicle in which restoration of the pedal arm to its rest position is improved, it is proposed that a friction system has a rocker and the first return spring is disposed between the separate friction element and the rocker such that when the pedal arm moves in the direction of its maximum actuation position, the rocker is pressed against a friction surface of the separate friction elements in a friction force-generating manner, wherein the separate friction element is connected to the pedal arm in a compressive force-transmitting manner by means of the at least one first return spring, a bearing part for a second return spring, and a connecting element, and wherein the second return spring is disposed between the bearing part and the base part or the bearing part and the rocker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Ralf Ridder, Claus Viethen, Werner Austermeier, Kerim Florian Huge, David Schliwa, Bernd Schmitt, Robert Schuermann, Andreas Mueller
  • Publication number: 20210237569
    Abstract: A standing pedal is provided for a vehicle, comprising a support, a pedal arm, a rocker, a return spring for forcing the pedal arm into a direction of an idle position of the pedal arm, and a power transmission element. The return spring is linked to the support and the rocker in a power transmitting manner. The power transmission element is linked to the pedal arm and the rocker in a power transmitting manner. In order to provide a standing pedal for a vehicle, which is robust and shows an enhanced durability, the pivot axis of the pedal arm and the power transmission element are located on a common first side of the rocker with respect to a basic part of the rocker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Inventors: Ralf Ridder, Claus Viethen
  • Publication number: 20210016660
    Abstract: In order to provide a pedal for a motor vehicle in which restoration of the pedal arm to its rest position is improved, it is proposed that a friction system has a rocker and the first return spring is disposed between the separate friction element and the rocker such that when the pedal arm moves in the direction of its maximum actuation position, the rocker is pressed against a friction surface of the separate friction elements in a friction force-generating manner, wherein the separate friction element is connected to the pedal arm in a compressive force-transmitting manner by means of the at least one first return spring, a bearing part for a second return spring, and a connecting element, and wherein the second return spring is disposed between the bearing part and the base part or the bearing part and the rocker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Applicant: HELLA GMBH & CO. KGAA
    Inventors: Ralf RIDDER, Claus VIETHEN, Werner AUSTERMEIER, Kerim Florian HUGE, David SCHLIWA, Bernd SCHMITT, Robert SCHUERMANN, Andreas MUELLER
  • Patent number: 10220703
    Abstract: An accelerator pedal unit for a motor vehicle, having a base body on which an accelerator pedal is accommodated rotatably mounted in a rotary joint and which, starting from a resting position, can be moved by actuation in an actuating direction. A sensor unit is accommodated in the base body, which senses the position of the accelerator pedal via a feeler element. A return spring is provided, with which the accelerator pedal is prestressed into the initial position. A moveable counter-stop element can be moved into a stop position in which, when the accelerator pedal is actuated, the stop element comes into contact with the counter-stop element and runs into the sprung unit when an additional force is applied to the accelerator pedal and can be moved into a release position in which, when the accelerator pedal is actuated, the stop element can move freely in a movement region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Hella GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventor: Claus Viethen
  • Publication number: 20180105038
    Abstract: An accelerator pedal unit for a motor vehicle, having a base body on which an accelerator pedal is accommodated rotatably mounted in a rotary joint and which, starting from a resting position, can be moved by actuation in an actuating direction. A sensor unit is accommodated in the base body, which senses the position of the accelerator pedal via a feeler element. A return spring is provided, with which the accelerator pedal is prestressed into the initial position. A moveable counter-stop element can be moved into a stop position in which, when the accelerator pedal is actuated, the stop element comes into contact with the counter-stop element and runs into the sprung unit when an additional force is applied to the accelerator pedal and can be moved into a release position in which, when the accelerator pedal is actuated, the stop element can move freely in a movement region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Applicant: HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA
    Inventor: Claus VIETHEN
  • Patent number: 9945473
    Abstract: A kick-down element for a vehicle, complete with a housing, an actuator that is fastened in the housing such that it can be moved axially and a force surge element that can be moved axially in the actuator and which is axially loaded by an elastic element. There is a plate-shaped protruding part on at least one housing panel, which runs perpendicular to the movement direction and the upper end of which runs diagonally downward. The force step element interacts with at least one roller, which is located between the protruding part and a wedgeshaped (9) of the force surge element in a resting position. The kick-down element is intended to allow for a relatively long travel path for the actuator in the most compact design possible. This is achieved by keeping the roller attached to a lower end of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Hella KGaA Hueck & Co.
    Inventor: Claus Viethen