Patents by Inventor Dirk Mählmann

Dirk Mählmann 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: 8894317
    Abstract: A ball joint with a housing formed entirely by a cold forming method. The housing having an inner chamber for receiving the joint ball of a ball pin and an opening through which the ball pin extends, and a contact area on the outer surface area of the housing forms a seal with a bellows. A forming section of the housing secures the joint ball within the inner chamber such that the joint pall can both rotate and pivot. Following completion of the housing, the material displaced during the cold forming method creates the forming section of the housing. The method for producing a ball joint comprises the steps of producing a metallic housing blank with a thickening formed by compression, forming the outer contour of the housing by compression, shaping the inner contour of the housing through dishing, and using the displaced material for creating the forming section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Dirk Maehlmann, Frank Schmeink, Benjamin Ziebart, Horst Pott, Christian Rziczny, Michael Heuer Gen Hallmann, Philippe Milos, Wolfgang Kleiner, Reinhard Buhl, Jurgen Schmitz
  • Patent number: 8348541
    Abstract: Joint arrangement for a vehicle, with a joint (7), which has a joint housing (8) and a pivot pin (9) mounted movably in relation thereto; a rod (4), which has a cavity (6) and which is connected to the joint (7); a ring element arranged between the joint and the rod; a sealing bellows (10), which defines the interior space (11) and in which the joint (7) is arranged at least partially; and a gas-permeable connection (13), which connects the cavity (6) of the rod (4) to the interior space (11) of the sealing bellows (10), wherein at least part of the gas-permeable connection (13) is formed by at least one groove, which is formed on the ring element and opens into the interior space (11) of the sealing bellows (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Dirk Mählmann, Benjamin Ziebart
  • Publication number: 20090208273
    Abstract: Joint arrangement for a vehicle, with a joint (7), which has a joint housing (8) and a pivot pin (9) mounted movably in relation thereto; a rod (4), which has a cavity (6) and which is connected to the joint (7); a ring element arranged between the joint and the rod; a sealing bellows (10), which defines the interior space (11) and in which the joint (7) is arranged at least partially; and a gas-permeable connection (10), which connects the cavity (6) of the rod (4) to the interior space (11) of the sealing bellows (10), wherein at least part of the gas-permeable connection (13) is formed by at least one groove, which is formed on the ring element and opens into the interior space (11) of the sealing bellows (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Inventors: Dirk Mählmann, Benjamin Ziebart
  • Publication number: 20080317394
    Abstract: A bearing arrangement (4) is provided with a bearing inner bush (10) and an outer bush (5), especially for the central joint (1) of a Watt's linkage. The bearing arrangement (4) is provided with a sealing arrangement (12) surrounding the front-side bearing gap between the inner bush (10) and the outer bush (5). The sealing arrangement (12) comprises an elastic sealing element (14) with static as well as dynamic sealing surfaces. The bearing arrangement (4) has a sealing arrangement (12) designed as a sealing module (12), which can be connected to the bearing inner bush (10), the sealing module (12) also comprising a running surface (15) for the axial bearing of the outer bush (5). The arrangement makes possible the especially economical production of modularly designed, highly loadable bush bearings. Furthermore, undivided, continuous bearing bushes can be used, which improves the ability to be mounted and the precision and the service life of the bearing arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2005
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventors: Arnold Blanke, Dirk Maehlmann, Thomas Roesler, Uwe Schmidt