Patents by Inventor Frank Gundermann

Frank Gundermann 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: 20240384774
    Abstract: Motor vehicle vibration damper with at least one damper cylinder at least partially filled with a liquid damping medium; a piston rod axially movable to the longitudinal extension axis (L) of the damper and sections of which project into the damper cylinder; a piston rod guide surrounding the piston rod in the peripheral direction and seals off the damper cylinder; a gas-impermeable, shape-changing gas pressure container located in a compensation chamber inside the damper cylinder; a filling channel connecting the interior of the gas pressure container to the external environment; and a non-return valve at least indirectly connected to the gas pressure container and closes or opens the filling channel depending on gas pressure difference. The non-return valve is inside a gas-impermeable non-return valve housing connected to the piston rod guide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Publication date: November 21, 2024
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Harun TUCOVIC, Eberhard SIMON, Barbara ESTER, Artur SCHELL, Frank GUNDERMANN
  • Patent number: 8245823
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vibration damper comprising a cylinder in which a piston rod is guided in an axially movable manner. A first piston is mounted stationarily on the piston rod while a second piston that is equipped with at least one valve disk biased by a spring assembly is mounted on the piston rod so as to be axially movable counter to a force of at least one support spring. The spring assembly is provided with at least one spring plate on which the spring assembly rests. The second piston is retained by a fixing sleeve which supports the at least one spring plate. The structural unit encompassing the fixing sleeve and the at least one spring plate is fitted with an axially effective separating joint for a locking connection inside the structural unit. The entire structural unit can be axially displaced towards the at least one support spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Bernd Zeissner, Andreas Foerster, Frank Gundermann, Steffen Heyn, Anton Krawczyk, Uwe Boecker, Thomas Thein, Wolfgang Breun, Herbert Bies, Holger Beyer, Ludwig Gampl, Heinz-Joachim Gilsdorf, Klaus Sauer
  • Publication number: 20090127039
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vibration damper comprising a cylinder in which a piston rod is guided in an axially movable manner. A first piston (7) is mounted stationarily on the piston rod while a second piston (23) that is equipped with at least one valve disk biased by a spring assembly is mounted on the piston rod so as to be axially movable counter to the force of at least one support spring. The spring assembly is provided with at least one spring plate (39, 41) on which the spring assembly (33, 35) rests. The second piston (23) forms a structural unit along with a fixing sleeve (37) and the at least one spring plate for the spring assembly. The at least one spring plate is mounted in an axially movable manner relative to the fixing sleeve (37) and can be fixed in the desired axial position in order to adjust the bias of the spring assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDCHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Bernd Zeissner, Andreas Foerster, Frank Gundermann, Steffen Heyn, Anton Krawczyk, Uwe Boecker, Thomas Thein, Wolfgang Breun, Herbert Bies, Holger Beyer, Ludwig Gampl, Heinz-Joachim Gilsdorf, Klaus Sauer
  • Publication number: 20090038898
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vibration damper comprising a cylinder in which a piston rod is guided in an axially movable manner. A first piston is mounted stationarily on the piston rod while a second piston that is equipped with at least one valve disk biased by a spring assembly is mounted on the piston rod so as to be axially movable counter to a force of at least one support spring. The spring assembly is provided with at least one spring plate on which the spring assembly rests. The second piston is retained by a fixing sleeve which supports the at least one spring plate. The structural unit encompassing the fixing sleeve and the at least one spring plate is fitted with an axially effective separating joint for a locking connection inside the structural unit. The entire structural unit can be axially displaced towards the at least one support spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Bernd Zeissner, Andreas Foerster, Frank Gundermann, Steffen Heyn, Anton Krawczyk, Uwe Boecker, Thomas Thein, Wolfgang Breun, Herbert Bies, Holger Beyer, Ludwig Gampl, Heinz-Joachim Gilsdorf, Klaus Sauer
  • Patent number: 7172057
    Abstract: Vibration damper comprising a piston rod, which is guided with freedom of axial movement in a damping medium-filled cylinder and which carries a piston, which divides the cylinder into two working spaces. At least one of the two working spaces has a flow connection leading to a housing, in which a separating element separates at least one chamber from one of the two working spaces, where the volume of the minimum of one chamber in the housing has a size which is variable within defined limits. The separating element executes relative motion with respect to the housing, and is located in a permanent position with respect to the piston rod, whereas the housing is movable with respect to the piston rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Frank Gundermann, Joachim Kühnel, Christian Böhm, Heinz-Joachim Gilsdorf
  • Patent number: 7104369
    Abstract: A piston rod with a piston is installed with freedom of axial movement in a damping medium-filled cylinder, where, as a function of the stroke position of the piston, a bypass connects the two working spaces separated from each other by the piston. The piston has at least one through-channel for at least one flow direction, which channel is at least partially covered on the outlet side by at least one valve disk, so that a first pressure-actuated surface to which pressure can be applied in the opening direction is present on the valve disk. In addition to the first pressure-actuated surface, the valve disk has a second pressure-actuated surface, which is separated from the first when the valve disk is closed and which can be actuated via the bypass, in which case the effects of the two pressure-actuated surfaces are additive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Steffen Heyn, Frank Gundermann, Christian Böhm, Bernd Zeissner, Manfred Grundei
  • Publication number: 20050061592
    Abstract: A piston rod with a piston is installed with freedom of axial movement in a damping medium-filled cylinder, where, as a function of the stroke position of the piston, a bypass connects the two working spaces separated from each other by the piston. The piston has at least one through-channel for at least one flow direction, which channel is at least partially covered on the outlet side by at least one valve disk, so that a first pressure-actuated surface to which pressure can be applied in the opening direction is present on the valve disk. In addition to the first pressure-actuated surface, the valve disk has a second pressure-actuated surface, which is separated from the first when the valve disk is closed and which can be actuated via the bypass, in which case the effects of the two pressure-actuated surfaces are additive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2004
    Publication date: March 24, 2005
    Inventors: Steffen Heyn, Frank Gundermann, Christian Bohm, Bernd Zeissner, Manfred Grundei
  • Publication number: 20040163906
    Abstract: Vibration damper comprising a piston rod, which is guided with freedom of axial movement in a damping medium-filled cylinder and which carries a piston, which divides the cylinder into two working spaces. At least one of the two working spaces has a flow connection leading to a housing, in which a separating element separates at least one chamber from one of the two working spaces, where the volume of the minimum of one chamber in the housing has a size which is variable within defined limits. The separating element executes relative motion with respect to the housing, and is located in a permanent position with respect to the piston rod, whereas the housing is movable with respect to the piston rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicant: ZF Sachs AG
    Inventors: Frank Gundermann, Joachim Kuhnel, Christian Bohm, Heinz-Joachim Gilsdorf