Patents by Inventor Edgar Bothe

Edgar Bothe 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: 7510502
    Abstract: Load change impacts in a motor vehicle, especially as a result of abrupt changes in the position of the accelerator pedal, are prevented with the novel method. At least one dual clutch mechanism is provided between the drive engine and the gearbox. The gearbox has several selectable gear steps and the clutch is controlled in relation to the torque that is to be transmitted. The driving comfort is improved by controlling the clutch during the starting process of the motor vehicle and/or the gear steps are engaged during the starting process of the vehicle in such a way that the speed of rotation of the gear input shaft is lower than the idling speed of rotation of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Edgar Bothe, Wolfgang Schreiber
  • Patent number: 7488272
    Abstract: A method actuates two clutches which transmit torque in parallel in a drive train of a motor vehicle and have different successive fixed speed transmissions as gear stages between a drive shaft and an output shaft. The clutches are triggered during acceleration processes of the motor vehicle that both clutches simultaneously transmit torques and a resulting transmission of torque takes place continuously between the drive shaft and the output shaft. The rotational speed of the drive shaft is greater than the respective rotational speed of the respective transmission input shaft of the respective partial train at the secondary end of the respective clutch during the entire starting process, or the rotational speed of the drive shaft is greater than or the same as the respective rotational speed of the respective transmission input shaft of the respective partial train at the secondary end of the respective clutch during an acceleration process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Edgar Bothe, Andreas Schwenger, Wolfgang Schreiber
  • Patent number: 7429233
    Abstract: Gear shifts are carried out from a source gear to a target gear of a twin clutch transmission. The twin clutch transmission has sequentially directly successive gears assigned to different transmission input shafts. In each case one upshift and downshift threshold, which is defined as a function of the throttle pedal position, for each possible sequential gear change is stored as a corresponding vehicle speed value in a control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Edgar Bothe, Henning Müller, Volker Gärtner
  • Publication number: 20080026909
    Abstract: Gear shifts are carried out from a source gear to a target gear of a twin clutch transmission. The twin clutch transmission has sequentially directly successive gears assigned to different transmission input shafts. In each case one upshift and downshift threshold, which is defined as a function of the throttle pedal position, for each possible sequential gear change is stored as a corresponding vehicle speed value in a control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Applicant: VOLKSWAGEN AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Edgar Bothe, Henning Muller, Volker Gartner
  • Patent number: 7285074
    Abstract: A method and a device for controlling a motor vehicle drive train determine the direction of rotation of the drive train by evaluating sensor signals of a first sensor unit on the output side of the drive train. The first sensor unit includes a sensor wheel fastened to a rotatable component on the output side of the drive train and two rotational speed sensors which are fixed with respect to a housing and are placed circumferentially next to one another. In order to speed up the determination of the direction of rotation, the sensor signal of a second sensor unit on the input side of the drive train is evaluated. The second sensor unit includes a sensor wheel that is fastened to a rotatable component on the input side of the drive train and a rotational speed sensor that is fixed with respect to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Volker Gärtner, Armin Tonn, Alwin Becher, Klaus Leipnitz, Edgar Bothe
  • Publication number: 20070191185
    Abstract: Load change impacts in a motor vehicle, especially as a result of abrupt changes in the position of the accelerator pedal, are prevented with the novel method. At least one dual clutch mechanism is provided between the drive engine and the gearbox. The gearbox has several selectable gear steps and the clutch is controlled in relation to the torque that is to be transmitted. The driving comfort is improved by controlling the clutch during the starting process of the motor vehicle and/or the gear steps are engaged during the starting process of the vehicle in such a way that the speed of rotation of the gear input shaft is lower than the idling speed of rotation of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Edgar Bothe, Wolfgang Schreiber
  • Publication number: 20070191186
    Abstract: A method actuates two clutches which transmit torque in parallel in a drive train of a motor vehicle and have different successive fixed speed transmissions as gear stages between a drive shaft and an output shaft. The clutches are triggered during acceleration processes of the motor vehicle that both clutches simultaneously transmit torques and a resulting transmission of torque takes place continuously between the drive shaft and the output shaft. The rotational speed of the drive shaft is greater than the respective rotational speed of the respective transmission input shaft of the respective partial train at the secondary end of the respective clutch during the entire starting process, or the rotational speed of the drive shaft is greater than or the same as the respective rotational speed of the respective transmission input shaft of the respective partial train at the secondary end of the respective clutch during an acceleration process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventors: Edgar Bothe, Andreas Schwenger, Wolfgang Schreiber
  • Patent number: 7066862
    Abstract: A method for a shift control of a power shift transmission includes closing an incoming, engaging clutch unit assigned to a new gear and opening the outgoing, disengaging clutch unit assigned to an old gear such that the closing and the opening overlap in time. The incoming clutch unit is closed after performing a filling operation for providing a filling pressure for the incoming clutch unit. The filling operation is concluded by a filling end. In case of a manually triggered power shift, the filling operation for the incoming clutch unit is performed with an increased filling pressure corresponding to an order of magnitude of the clutch capacity of the outgoing clutch unit. After the filling end is identified, the outgoing clutch unit is opened and, overlapping in time, a clutch capacity of the incoming clutch unit is adapted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Edgar Bothe, Uwe Hinrichsen
  • Patent number: 7048672
    Abstract: A method for controlling the shifting operation of an automated twin-clutch transmission includes executing a shifting operation between a load gear and a target gear assigned to a first transmission unit by using an intermediate gear assigned to a second transmission unit. The engine speed is adjusted to reach the synchronous speed of the target gear at the end of the shifting operation. At the start of the shifting operation an initial target speed gradient is set such that the engine speed reaches the synchronous speed at the end of the shifting operation based on an estimated total shifting time. The actual shifting progress is determined during the shifting operation and is compared with the estimated shifting progress. The target speed gradient is adjusted to the actual shifting progress in case the actual shifting progress and the estimated shifting progress deviate from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Edgar Bothe, Uwe Hinrichsen, Axel Schamscha
  • Publication number: 20060040777
    Abstract: A method and a device for controlling a motor vehicle drive train determine the direction of rotation of the drive train by evaluating sensor signals of a first sensor unit on the output side of the drive train. The first sensor unit includes a sensor wheel fastened to a rotatable component on the output side of the drive train and two rotational speed sensors which are fixed with respect to a housing and are placed circumferentially next to one another. In order to speed up the determination of the direction of rotation, the sensor signal of a second sensor unit on the input side of the drive train is evaluated. The second sensor unit includes a sensor wheel that is fastened to a rotatable component on the input side of the drive train and a rotational speed sensor that is fixed with respect to the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2005
    Publication date: February 23, 2006
    Inventors: Volker Gartner, Armin Tonn, Alwin Becher, Klaus Leipnitz, Edgar Bothe
  • Publication number: 20050272559
    Abstract: A method for controlling the shifting operation of an automated twin-clutch transmission includes executing a shifting operation between a load gear and a target gear assigned to a first transmission unit by using an intermediate gear assigned to a second transmission unit. The engine speed is adjusted to reach the synchronous speed of the target gear at the end of the shifting operation. At the start of the shifting operation an initial target speed gradient is set such that the engine speed reaches the synchronous speed at the end of the shifting operation based on an estimated total shifting time. The actual shifting progress is determined during the shifting operation and is compared with the estimated shifting progress. The target speed gradient is adjusted to the actual shifting progress in case the actual shifting progress and the estimated shifting progress deviate from one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Publication date: December 8, 2005
    Inventors: Edgar Bothe, Uwe Hinrichsen, Axel Schamscha
  • Publication number: 20040225430
    Abstract: A method for controlling the shifting of a transmission uses a control device for shifting gears in two different operating modes. In a first operating mode, the transmission is operated in an automatic mode and the shifting is automatically carried out, essentially based on detected driving parameters and with the aid of the control device. A respective automatic driving program and/or a respective top selectable gear can be selected in the automatic mode. In a second operating mode, the transmission is operated according to an automated manual shifting mode by using an actuating device. The respective automatic driving program and/or the respective top selectable gear can be selected by using the actuating device when the transmission is in the automatic mode. A device for controlling the shifting of a transmission is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Edgar Bothe, Henning Muller, Klaus Leipnitz
  • Publication number: 20040198552
    Abstract: A method for a shift control of a power shift transmission includes closing an incoming, engaging clutch unit assigned to a new gear and opening the outgoing, disengaging clutch unit assigned to an old gear such that the closing and the opening overlap in time. The incoming clutch unit is closed after performing a filling operation for providing a filling pressure for the incoming clutch unit. The filling operation is concluded by a filling end. In case of a manually triggered power shift, the filling operation for the incoming clutch unit is performed with an increased filling pressure corresponding to an order of magnitude of the clutch capacity of the outgoing clutch unit. After the filling end is identified, the outgoing clutch unit is opened and, overlapping in time, a clutch capacity of the incoming clutch unit is adapted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Applicant: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Edgar Bothe, Uwe Hinrichsen