Patents by Inventor Dieter Rohrle

Dieter Rohrle 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: 5695403
    Abstract: A torsion damper comprising a first rotating element (12) and a second rotating element (14), coaxial with each other and defining between them an annular housing which receives a resilient damping device (32), wherein the greater part of the annular housing (30) is delimited by at least two components (20, 22, 24) of a first one (12) of the two rotating elements. The second (14) rotating element includes a plate (26) together with an annular disc (36) which is fixed to the plate by a set of rivets (39) arranged circumferentially in the vicinity of the inner peripheral edge of the disc (36), and having an annular friction damper system (174) arranged between the first rotating element (12) and the disc (36) of the second rotating element (24). The annular friction damping system (174) is disposed radially outwardly of the zone occupied by the rivets (39) by which the disc (36) is fixed, and radially inwardly with respect to the sealed annular housing (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 9, 1997
    Assignee: Valeo
    Inventors: Dieter Rohrle, Ciriaco Bonfilio
  • Patent number: 5667053
    Abstract: The torsion damper comprises a first rotating element (12) delimiting the greater part of a sealed annular housing (30) which receives a resilient damper (32) and a lubricating agent for this damper. A second rotating element (14) Comprises a disc (36) which penetrates into the sealed housing (30). Sealing rings close the housing (30) sealingly. Each sealing ring is mounted in axial compression between two support surfaces, one of which consists of an annular ridge carried by the disc (36), while the other consists of a shoulder formed on the other rotating element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 16, 1997
    Assignee: Valeo
    Inventors: Dieter Rohrle, Ciriaco Bonfilio
  • Patent number: 5649864
    Abstract: A torsion damper, especially for a motor vehicle clutch, comprises two coaxial parts, namely a primary and a secondary coaxial part respectively, which are mounted for rotation of one with respect to the other, with circumferentially acting springs, mounted in a grease cavity, acting between the two coaxial parts, while a centring bearing which closes the grease cavity, and a friction assembly, also act between the two coaxial parts. The friction assembly is arranged outside the cavity, with the centring bearing being between the cavity and the friction assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1997
    Assignee: Valeo
    Inventors: Dieter Rohrle, Ciriaco Bonfilio
  • Patent number: 5562542
    Abstract: A torsion damper, especially for a motor vehicle, comprises two coaxial parts, namely a primary coaxial part and a secondary coaxial part respectively, which are mounted for relative rotation of one with respect to the other against the action of resilient members acting circumferentially, with each of these resilient members extending lengthwise generally over an arc of a circle. At least one of the circumferential end portions of at least one of the resilient members is associated with deflecting members consisting of camming members, such that in operation, the circumferential end portion of the resilient members is urged radially towards the axis of the assembly, at least when the angular displacement between the two coaxial parts exceeds a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: Valeo
    Inventor: Dieter Rohrle
  • Patent number: 5562543
    Abstract: A torsion damper, especially though not exclusively for a motor vehicle clutch, is of the kind having two coaxial parts, namely a primary coaxial part and a secondary coaxial part, which are mounted for rotation one with respect to the other against the action of at least one spring which is arranged with its length extending generally circumferentially along an arc of a circle. The spring comprises a succession of at least two straight portions continuous with each other and defining median lines, each of which is tangential to the arc of a circle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: Valeo
    Inventor: Dieter Rohrle
  • Patent number: 5503595
    Abstract: A torsion damper device comprises two coaxial parts, a circumferentially acting resilient element, and a friction device which acts in an axial sense between the two coaxial parts. The friction device includes a friction ring which is in contact with a first friction surface. The friction device is a unitary assembly which comprises at least one element of elastic material. The friction ring is secured over at least one of the faces of the elastic element. This unitary assembly is interposed, so as to be gripped axially, between the first friction surface and a second surface, while an anti-wear element acts between the elastic element and the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1996
    Assignee: Valeo
    Inventor: Dieter Rohrle
  • Patent number: 5435783
    Abstract: A torsion damper, especially for a motor vehicle, comprises coaxial primary and secondary parts mounted for relative rotation or one with respect to the other. A circumferentially acting resilient element, at least partially mounted within a cavity formed in a sealing element, acts between the primary and secondary parts via a torque limiter. The torque limiter comprises a damper plate fixed with respect to one of the primary and secondary parts, and two counter plates secured together with suitable fasteners. The two counter plates frictionally embrace the damper plate, and the sealing element is secured to the counter plates by the fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: Valeo
    Inventor: Dieter Rohrle
  • Patent number: 5384948
    Abstract: An assembly of two components comprises a male member and a female member, the latter having a shoulder, with the male member abutted against the shoulder in back-to-back relationship. The female member has a groove. The male member is worked so as to cause its material to invade at least part of this groove in plastic flow. The groove is located beside the periphery of the shoulder having the larger diameter (i.e. the outer periphery of the shoulder), so that the plastic flow of the material of the male member takes place radially outwardly. Arrangements are also provided for sealing the assembly of the two components. The invention is applicable, for example, to torsion dampers for motor vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1995
    Assignee: Valeo
    Inventors: Ciriaco Bonfilio, Dieter Rohrle
  • Patent number: 5370581
    Abstract: A torsion damping device comprises two coaxial masses and a friction device, which acts between the two coaxial masses and surrounds a central hub of the first mass. The friction device is a unitary assembly which comprises at least one element of elastic material, with a friction ring secured over at least one of its faces, for contact with a first friction surface carried by one of the coaxial masses. This unitary assembly is interposed, so as to be gripped radially, between the first friction surface and a second surface fixed to the other mass. The invention is applicable to torsion dampers for motor vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1994
    Assignee: Valeo
    Inventors: Dieter Rohrle, Ciriaco Bonfilio
  • Patent number: 5218884
    Abstract: A torsion damper, for example for a motor vehicle, comprises two coaxial parts which are mounted for rotation with respect to each other against the action of springs. One of these coaxial parts comprises an annular damper plate arranged between two annular radial plates which are secured together through an annular spacing element which surrounds the springs. The damper plate has arms acting on the springs, while the radial plates are fixed in rotation to stop elements. At least one of the circumferential ends of each spring is associated with a resilient element which extends the spring circumferentially, while radial displacement means, carried by either the springs or the spacing element, permit radial displacement of each of these resilient elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1993
    Assignee: Valeo
    Inventor: Dieter Rohrle
  • Patent number: 5064041
    Abstract: A torsion damping device has a pair of guide rings, a damper plate and a hub. Resilient are confined between the two guide rings, and arranged on either side of the damper plate so as to bear on the damper plate or the hub in such a way as to exert a biassing and gripping force thereon. There is a radial clearance between the hub and whichever one of the two coaxial parts of the damper is freely mounted with respect to the hub, in such a way that the hub is floatingly mounted with respect to that coaxial part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1991
    Assignee: Valeo
    Inventors: Michel Graton, Dieter Rohrle
  • Patent number: 4883156
    Abstract: The invention concerns a torsion damper, especially for a disc type friction clutch for an automotive vehicle. The damper comprises a lining support plate and a hub which are movable angularly with respect to each other. The support plate and the hub are coupled together by two torsion damping devices, one of which comprises guide rings and a damper plate mounted on the hub and centered with respect to the guide rings by means of a bush surrounding the hub and having a face plate with axially extending centering pins or the like, engaged in corresponding apertures in the damper plate or face plate. The invention is especially applicable to the automobile field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 28, 1989
    Assignee: Valeo
    Inventors: Dieter Rohrle, Michel Graton, Philippe Lhermitte