Patents by Inventor Erhard Rau

Erhard Rau 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: 7444962
    Abstract: In a coolant circuit for an internal combustion engine having two cylinder banks, a radiator for cooling the engine coolant, a pump and a thermostatic valve including a mixing chamber and first and second flow control valves, wherein the pump is connected to the radiator via an intake line for receiving coolant therefrom and supplying it to the cylinder banks which are in communication with the mixing chamber from which a radiator line extends to the radiator for returning heated coolant to the radiator under the control of a flow control valve, or supplying it via a bypass line to the intake line under the control of a bypass valve, a heating circuit is provided extending from one of the cylinder banks via a heater to the pump intake line and a heater control valve is disposed in the heating control circuit so that, upon opening of the heater valve, coolant flows from the other cylinder bank via the mixing chamber to the one cylinder bank and coolant from both cylinder banks jointly flows through the heating
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Werner Engelin, Hartmut Engels, Erhard Rau, Jochen Weeber, Frank Weinert
  • Publication number: 20070062466
    Abstract: In a coolant circuit for an internal combustion engine having two cylinder banks, a radiator for cooling the engine coolant, a pump and a thermostatic valve including a mixing chamber and first and second flow control valves, wherein the pump is connected to the radiator via an intake line for receiving coolant therefrom and supplying it to the cylinder banks which are in communication with the mixing chamber from which a radiator line extends to the radiator for returning heated coolant to the radiator under the control of a flow control valve, or supplying it via a bypass line to the intake line under the control of a bypass valve, a heating circuit is provided extending from one of the cylinder banks via a heater to the pump intake line and a heater control valve is disposed in the heating control circuit so that, upon opening of the heater valve, coolant flows from the other cylinder bank via the mixing chamber to the one cylinder bank and coolant from both cylinder banks jointly flows through the heating
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Werner Engelin, Hartmut Engels, Erhard Rau, Jochen Weeber, Frank Weinert
  • Patent number: 6843210
    Abstract: A thermostatic valve for a coolant circuit of an internal combustion engine, with a housing through which the flow is capable of passing and which has a first throughflow orifice for connection to a first coolant line, a second throughflow orifice for connection to a second coolant line, and a third throughflow orifice for connection to a third coolant line, and with a closure member which is mounted in the housing and which can be adjusted by an actuating unit, the closure member having a first shut-off element for shutting off the first throughflow orifice and a second shut-off element, coupled to the first shut-off element, for shutting off the second throughflow orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Werner Engelin, Hartmut Engels, Erhard Rau, Jochen Weeber, Frank Weinert
  • Patent number: 6786183
    Abstract: A coolant circuit is provided for an internal combustion engine, with a coolant radiator, at least one mechanical coolant pump and at least one electrical coolant pump for a cooling circuit having a coolant inflow and for a heating circuit having a coolant return, in each case with at least one heat exchanger, the mechanical coolant pump and/or the electrical coolant pump being assigned to the heating and/or cooling circuit, and the mechanical pump being capable of being cut in and cut out or of being throttled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Michael Hoelle, Roland Kemmler, Erhard Rau, Hubert Schnuepke
  • Patent number: 6772717
    Abstract: In a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine with a piston which is displacably arranged in a cylinder and is coupled in to a connecting rod whose movement can be transmitted to a crankshaft via a crank, a transmission element is provided between the connecting rod and the crank of the crankshaft and the movement of the transmission element can be manipulated by means of a control arm for an adjustment of the compression ratio of the engine. The transmission element is coupled to the crank via a joint disposed in the intermediate region between a bearing connection of the transverse lever structure with the control arm and a bearing connection of the transverse lever with the connecting rod, the bearing connection of the transverse lever with the connecting rod, the crank and the control arm being arranged in a predetermined relationship.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Oleg Dachtchenko, Willi Gelse, Vadim Kutenev, Klaus Magg, Andrej Nikitin, Erhard Rau, Yuri Romanchev, Hubert Schnüpke, George Ter-Mkretiehian, Michail Zienko
  • Patent number: 6761137
    Abstract: In a reciprocating internal combustion engine having first and second cylinder banks arranged adjacent each other so that the axes of their cylinders extend essential parallel, a crankshaft is rotatably supported at an end of the cylinder banks between the longitudinal axes of the cylinders of the first and second cylinder banks and includes crank pins, on which cross-levers are rotatably supported and piston rods connected with an end to the pistons are rotatably supported with their other ends on the cross levers which have sidewardly extending portions controllably supported by control arms for adjusting the compression ratio in the cylinders of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Gernot Kurtzer, Erhard Rau, Hubert Schnüpke
  • Publication number: 20030200942
    Abstract: In a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine with a piston which is displacably arranged in a cylinder and is coupled in to a connecting rod whose movement can be transmitted to a crankshaft via a crank, a transmission element is provided between the connecting rod and the crank of the crankshaft and the movement of the transmission element can be manipulated by means of a control arm for an adjustment of the compression ratio of the engine. The transmission element is coupled to the crank via a joint disposed in the intermediate region between a bearing connection of the transverse lever structure with the control arm and a bearing connection of the transverse lever with the connecting rod, the bearing connection of the transverse lever with the connecting rod, the crank and the control arm being arranged in a predetermined relationship.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2003
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Inventors: Oleg Dachtchenko, Willi Gelse, Vadim Kutenev, Klaus Magg, Andrej Nikitin, Erhard Rau, Yuri Romanchev, Hubert Schnupke, George Ter-Mkretiehian, Michail Zienko
  • Publication number: 20030177985
    Abstract: A thermostatic valve for a coolant circuit of an internal combustion engine, with a housing through which the flow is capable of passing and which has a first throughflow orifice for connection to a first coolant line, a second throughflow orifice for connection to a second coolant line, and a third throughflow orifice for connection to a third coolant line, and with a closure member which is mounted in the housing and which can be adjusted by an actuating unit, the closure member having a first shut-off element for shutting off the first throughflow orifice and a second shut-off element, coupled to the first shut-off element, for shutting off the second throughflow orifice.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2003
    Publication date: September 25, 2003
    Inventors: Werner Engelin, Hartmut Engels, Erhard Rau, Jochen Weeber, Frank Weinert
  • Publication number: 20030159664
    Abstract: In a reciprocating internal combustion engine having first and second cylinder banks arranged adjacent each other so that the axes of their cylinders extend essential parallel, a crankshaft is rotatably supported at an end of the cylinder banks between the longitudinal axes of the cylinders of the first and second cylinder banks and includes crank pins, on which cross-levers are rotatably supported and piston rods connected with an end to the pistons are rotatably supported with their other ends on the cross levers which have sidewardly extending portions controllably supported by control arms for adjusting the compression ratio in the cylinders of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Inventors: Gernot Kurtzer, Erhard Rau, Hubert Schnupke
  • Publication number: 20030094147
    Abstract: A coolant circuit is provided for an internal combustion engine, with a coolant radiator, at least one mechanical coolant pump and at least one electrical coolant pump for a cooling circuit having a coolant inflow and for a heating circuit having a coolant return, in each case with at least one heat exchanger, the mechanical coolant pump and/or the electrical coolant pump being assigned to the heating and/or cooling circuit, and the mechanical pump being capable of being cut in and cut out or of being throttled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Publication date: May 22, 2003
    Inventors: Michael Hoelle, Roland Kemmler, Erhard Rau, Hubert Schnuepke
  • Patent number: 6321698
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine having four individual cylinder banks, in each case two cylinder banks being arranged in a V-shape with respect to one another in such a way that the cylinder banks forming a V are disposed on both sides of one engine plane E defined by a vertical axis H that symmetrically divides the internal combustion engine and by a longitudinal axis L of the internal combustion engine, one cylinder bank of the cylinder banks that are associated with one another in a V-shape being configured closer to the engine plane E or the vertical axis H than the cylinder bank that is diametrically opposed with respect to the engine plane E. The present invention is intended for use in mixture-compressing internal combustion engines having externally supplied ignition, but also for air-compressing, self-ignition internal combustion engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Erhard Rau, Wilhelm Huettner, Joerg Abthoff
  • Patent number: 6263853
    Abstract: A reciprocating piston engine with a crankshaft received in bearings includes a second-order harmonic balancer (Lanchester balancer) with one or more shafts received in bearings located in a crankshaft housing of the bearings of crankshaft and/or the bearings of the Lanchester shafts are made of at least one upper bearing part and a lower bearing part. At least the flange surfaces of the upper bearing parts and lower bearing parts have a fracture surface formed by cracking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventor: Erhard Rau
  • Patent number: 6227179
    Abstract: A V-type internal combustion engine has a mechanically driven supercharger located essentially between the V-shaped cylinder banks of the engine. In addition, an intercooler is located downstream of the supercharger and has an intake plenum on the outlet side, which is connected by intake pipes with the air intakes of the cylinders of both cylinder banks. In order to provide an internal combustion engine with compact, easily managed mechanical supercharging, characterized by agile response, the supercharger and the intercooler form a preassembled module. The supercharger is located above the intercooler in the installed position, and the intake plenum is located on top of the intercooler but below the supercharger between the V-shaped cylinder banks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Georg Eiermann, Erhard Rau
  • Patent number: 5799627
    Abstract: In a liquid cooled cylinder head for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine including in the cylinder head a cooling water space which is divided into cooling water space sections each disposed above one of the combustion chambers formed in the cylinder head bottom, a trapezoid-shaped cooling water flow control rib element projects from the cylinder head top above each combustion chamber in a plane extending essentially normal to the flow direction of the cooling water in the cylinder head such that the cooling water is deflected onto the cylinder head bottom above the respective combustion chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes Benz AG
    Inventors: Michael Dohn, Erhard Rau
  • Patent number: 5730673
    Abstract: In a hydraulic tensioning arrangement for tensioning a flexible drive for a camshaft of an internal combustion engine including a crankcase and a cylinder head wherein a main lubricating oil channel extends longitudinally along the inside of the crankcase and has an opening at the front end of the crankcase, a hydraulic housing with a cylinder receiving a plunger is mounted on the front end of the crankcase so as to cover the main lubricating oil channel opening and passage elements are provided for supplying oil from the main lubricating oil channel to the cylinder to bias the plunger against tensioning elements engaging the flexible drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Hubert Schnupke, Helmut Kronowiecki, Erhard Rau, Robert Gulpen, Klaus Bruchner
  • Patent number: 5730095
    Abstract: In a cast cylinder head of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine wherein the cylinder head has a cooling water space including gas flow passages and recesses for receiving spark plugs or fuel injection nozzles and blind bores extending into the cylinder head for receiving valve play adjustment elements and an oil supply passage extending longitudinally through the cylinder head and being in communication with the blind bores for supplying oil thereto, the blind bores are at least pre-cast and the oil supply passages are finish-cast during casting of the cylinder head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz A.G.
    Inventors: Michael Dohn, Eduard Zaiss, Gerhard Eisberg, Erwin Escherle, Erhard Rau
  • Patent number: 5720240
    Abstract: A liquid-cooled cylinder head for a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine includes a cooling water space divided into sections through which gas inlet and outlet passages and recesses for receiving spark plugs or fuel injection nozzles extend. A cooling water passage extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the cylinder head in the bottom area of the cylinder head between the gas inlet and outlet passages and the recesses and leads to the water space. A cooling water supply passage which is in communication with an engine block cooling water jacket for receiving cooling water therefrom and which extends through the bottom area of the cylinder head to the cooling water passage, is integrally cast into the cylinder head along adjacent at least one of the gas outlet passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Michael Dohn, Erhard Rau
  • Patent number: 5697350
    Abstract: In a crank chamber venting arrangement for an internal combustion engine including a crankcase defining a crank chamber and having integrally formed in an end wall thereof an oil separating chamber disposed at the top end of the crank case, a crank chamber venting passage extending between the crank chamber and the separating chamber and a return passage extending between the separating chamber and the crank chamber and including a siphon, the crank chamber venting passage and the oil return passage including the siphon are open at the end wall of the crankcase and are closed by a cover and the separating chamber is open at the top and closed by a cylinder head mounted on the crankcase such that the passages and the separating chamber can be formed integrally during casting of the crankcase without the use of sacrificial cores.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 16, 1997
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Edgar Brutsch, Erhard Rau
  • Patent number: 5161499
    Abstract: A V-type internal-combustion engine has two banks of cylinders, each with a cylinder-head housing which is covered by cylinder-head cover and, on each end face, by an end cover. Camshafts are driven via chain wheels by a common chain which is led through a free space between the two banks of cylinders in a well housing. To reduce jumps in sealing surfaces which present sealing problems, the well housing is arranged at a distance from the parting planes between the cylinder-head housings and cylinder-head covers and is fastened solely between the cylinder-head housings and the end covers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1992
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Reiner Bachschmid, Ernst Gobien, Erhard Rau