Patents by Inventor Frank Steffens
Frank Steffens 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: 12601395Abstract: An electric axle drive (10) for an axle (16) of a motor vehicle is provided for use on two vehicle wheels (12, 14). The electrical axle drive has an electric machine (18) having a stator (20) and a rotor (22), and a gear set such that torque, is provided by the rotor (22), and is introduced into the planetary gear set (26) and a first output shaft (36), for driving one of the vehicle wheels (12, 14). A second output shaft (40), from which the other vehicle wheel (14) can be driven, is connected in a torque-transmitting manner to the planet carrier (32) as the second output (42) of the planetary gear set (26), via the outputs (38, 42). The respective output torques resulting from the respective drive torques can be dissipated from the planetary gear set (26) for driving the vehicle wheels (12, 14).Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2022Date of Patent: April 14, 2026Assignee: DAIMLER TRUCK AGInventors: Frank Steffens, Jens Luckmann, Marc Strölin, Marc Klein, Florian Vincon
-
Patent number: 12427848Abstract: A hybrid-electric powertrain includes an internal combustion engine, a transmission, and an electric machine, where the electric machine is connected to the transmission for transmitting torque. The transmission has a transmission housing, within which there is disposed an output-side gear set assembly, and also a transmission housing cover disposed on an output side of the transmission as seen in an axial direction. The electric machine has a stator, a rotor, a rotor shaft connected to the rotor for conjoint rotation, and an electric machine housing. In addition, the electric machine has a connection housing for connecting the electric machine to the transmission housing. The rotor shaft of the electric machine is disposed parallel to a transmission input shaft of the transmission.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2021Date of Patent: September 30, 2025Assignee: Daimler Truck AGInventors: Guenter Kayran, Jens Luckmann, Detlef Schnitzer, Frank Steffens
-
Publication number: 20250136078Abstract: The invention relates to a braking device (10) for a motor vehicle with a fluid path (12) through which a fluid can flow and which has at least two line sections (14, 16), in which at least one pump element (18) and at least one valve device (34) which has a valve inlet (26) and a valve outlet (28) and which can be moved between at least two valve positions (30, 32) is arranged, wherein the valve device is fluidically connected to the pump element (18) via the valve inlet (26) by means of a first of the line sections (14), with a retarder (38), which has a stator (40), a rotor (42) and a retarder inlet (44), via which the retarder (38) is fluidically connected to the valve device (34) by means of the second of the line sections (16) via the valve outlet (28), wherein in a first of the valve positions (30) the valve inlet (26) is fluidically connected to the valve outlet (28) and in the second valve position (32) the valve inlet (26) is not fluidically connected to the valve outlet (28).Type: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2022Publication date: May 1, 2025Inventor: Frank STEFFENS
-
Publication number: 20250136077Abstract: The invention relates to a braking device (10) with a fluid path (12) through which a fluid can flow and which has two line sections (14, 16), in which a pump element (18), a cooler (64) and a valve device (34) which has a valve inlet (26) and a valve outlet (28) and which can be moved between two valve positions (30, 32) is arranged, wherein the valve device is fluidically connected to the pump element (18) via the valve inlet (26) by means of a first of the line sections (14), with a hydraulic sump (80) fluidically connected to the fluid path (12), with a retarder (38), which has a stator (40), a rotor (42) and a retarder inlet (44), wherein the valve inlet (26) is fluidically connected to the valve outlet (28) in a first of the valve positions (30), whereby the fluid flowing through the first line section (14) can be conveyed through the valve device (34) to the retarder inlet (44) via the second line section (16), and the valve inlet (26) is not fluidically connected to the valve outlet (28) in the secondType: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2022Publication date: May 1, 2025Inventors: Frank STEFFENS, Marc STRÖLIN
-
Patent number: 12228196Abstract: An electric drive system has a group transmission with a main group and a range group with a planetary gear set. First and second input shafts of the main group are respectively coupled with first and second electric engines. An output shaft of the main group is coupled with a first element of the planetary gear set and a second element of the planetary gear set is coupled with an output drive shaft of the group transmission. Two idler wheels are disposed coaxially to the first input shaft and two further idler wheels are disposed coaxially to the second input shaft. The first and second input shafts are coupled with the output shaft via two fixed gears. A first fixed gear engages with the first and third idler wheels and a second fixed gear engages with the second and fourth idler wheels.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2021Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: Daimler Truck AGInventors: Frank Steffens, Marc Stroelin, Jens Luckmann
-
Publication number: 20250020197Abstract: The invention relates to an electric axle drive (10) for an axle (16) of a motor vehicle comprising two vehicle wheels (12, 14), having an electric machine (18) which has a stator (20) and a rotor (22), and having a planetary gear set (26) which has a ring gear (30), a planet carrier (32) and a sun gear (28) as a drive unit (34), via which drive torques which can be provided by the rotor (22) can be introduced into the planetary gear set (26), a first output shaft (36), from which a first of the vehicle wheels (12, 14) can be driven, being connected in a torque-transmitting manner to the ring gear (30) as the first output (38) of the planetary gear set (26).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2022Publication date: January 16, 2025Inventors: Frank STEFFENS, Jens LUCKMANN, Marc STRÖLIN, Marc KLEIN, Florian VINCON
-
Patent number: 12140211Abstract: A group transmission device includes an upshift assembly with a first transmission element, a second transmission element and a third transmission element. A downshift assembly has a first transmission element, a second transmission element and a third transmission element. A main shaft is arranged coaxially to the upshift assembly and a layshaft is arranged parallel to the main shaft. A first idler gear is arranged coaxially to the main shaft and axially between the upshift assembly and the downshift assembly and is connectable to the main shaft for conjoint rotation by a first shift unit. The first idler gear is connectable to the third transmission element of the downshift assembly for conjoint rotation by a second shift unit.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2020Date of Patent: November 12, 2024Assignee: Daimler Truck AGInventors: Frank Steffens, Marc Stroelin, Jens Luckmann, Marc Klein, Detlef Schnitzer
-
Patent number: 12018736Abstract: A group transmission device includes a main transmission which has a main shaft, a countershaft and a spur gear pair which includes a first spur gear arranged coaxially and axially overlapping with the main shaft and a second spur gear arranged coaxially and axially overlapping with the countershaft. A range group has a first shaft non-rotationally connected to the main shaft, a second shaft non-rotationally connected to a transmission output shaft, a third shaft and a blocking switching unit. A first switching unit non-rotationally connects the third shaft to a housing. A second switching unit has an axially shiftable switching element and non-rotationally connects the third shaft to the first spur gear. The main shaft is coupled non-rotationally to a transmission input shaft. A third switching unit has an axially shiftable further switching element and non-rotationally connects the first spur gear to the first shaft of the range group.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2020Date of Patent: June 25, 2024Assignee: Daimler Truck AGInventors: Frank Steffens, Marc Stroelin, Jens Luckmann
-
Publication number: 20240141972Abstract: A group transmission device includes a main transmission which has a main shaft, a countershaft and a spur gear pair which includes a first spur gear arranged coaxially and axially overlapping with the main shaft and a second spur gear arranged coaxially and axially overlapping with the countershaft. A range group has a first shaft non-rotationally connected to the main shaft, a second shaft non-rotationally connected to a transmission output shaft, a third shaft and a blocking switching unit. A first switching unit non-rotationally connects the third shaft to a housing. A second switching unit has an axially shiftable switching element and non-rotationally connects the third shaft to the first spur gear. The main shaft is coupled non-rotationally to a transmission input shaft. A third switching unit has an axially shiftable further switching element and non-rotationally connects the first spur gear to the first shaft of the range group.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2020Publication date: May 2, 2024Inventors: Frank STEFFENS, Marc STROELIN, Jens LUCKMANN
-
Publication number: 20240141971Abstract: A group transmission device includes an upshift assembly with a first transmission element, a second transmission element and a third transmission element. A downshift assembly has a first transmission element, a second transmission element and a third transmission element. A main shaft is arranged coaxially to the upshift assembly and a layshaft is arranged parallel to the main shaft. A first idler gear is arranged coaxially to the main shaft and axially between the upshift assembly and the downshift assembly and is connectable to the main shaft for conjoint rotation by a first shift unit. The first idler gear is connectable to the third transmission element of the downshift assembly for conjoint rotation by a second shift unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2020Publication date: May 2, 2024Inventors: Frank STEFFENS, Marc STROELIN, Jens LUCKMANN, Marc KLEIN, Detlef SCHNITZER
-
Publication number: 20240026960Abstract: An electric drive system has a group transmission with a main group and a range group with a planetary gear set. First and second input shafts of the main group are respectively coupled with first and second electric engines. An output shaft of the main group is coupled with a first element of the planetary gear set and a second element of the planetary gear set is coupled with an output drive shaft of the group transmission. Two idler wheels are disposed coaxially to the first input shaft and two further idler wheels are disposed coaxially to the second input shaft. The first and second input shafts are coupled with the output shaft via two fixed gears. A first fixed gear engages with the first and third idler wheels and a second fixed gear engages with the second and fourth idler wheels.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2021Publication date: January 25, 2024Inventors: Frank STEFFENS, Marc STROELIN, Jens LUCKMANN
-
Publication number: 20230059031Abstract: A hybrid-electric powertrain includes an internal combustion engine, a transmission, and an electric machine, where the electric machine is connected to the transmission for transmitting torque. The transmission has a transmission housing, within which there is disposed an output-side gear set assembly, and also a transmission housing cover disposed on an output side of the transmission as seen in an axial direction. The electric machine has a stator, a rotor, a rotor shaft connected to the rotor for conjoint rotation, and an electric machine housing. In addition, the electric machine has a connection housing for connecting the electric machine to the transmission housing. The rotor shaft of the electric machine is disposed parallel to a transmission input shaft of the transmission.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2021Publication date: February 23, 2023Inventors: Guenter KAYRAN, Jens LUCKMANN, Detlef SCHNITZER, Frank STEFFENS
-
Patent number: 11313442Abstract: A range-change transmission device, which is a splitter transmission, includes an input shaft, an output shaft, a countershaft, at least one planetary gear set, and a torque adjustment device. A first transmission element of the planetary gear set is arranged coaxially to the output shaft. A second transmission element of the planetary gear set is or can be directly coupled to the countershaft. A third transmission element of the planetary gear set is permanently coupled to the input shaft in a rotationally fixed manner. The countershaft is or can be coupled to the torque adjustment device. The range-change transmission device has a first switching unit, which is provided to couple the countershaft to the output shaft.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2018Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: DAIMLER AGInventors: Frank Steffens, Detlef Schnitzer, Ingo Pfannkuchen, Jens Luckmann
-
Publication number: 20220111915Abstract: An articulated lorry that includes a tractor which has a fifth-wheel coupling and a trailer which has a connecting element which is reversibly detachably connected at a connection point to the fifth-wheel coupling. A tensioning device relieves a load on a wheel axle of the trailer, loads a drive axle of the trailer, and applies a force that counteracts a relative pivoting movement between the tractor and the trailer around a pivot axis which is oriented parallel to a transverse vehicle direction of the tractor and/or of the trailer. The tensioning device tensions the tractor to the trailer.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2019Publication date: April 14, 2022Applicant: Daimler AGInventors: Frank STEFFENS, Guenter KAYRAN
-
Patent number: 11149824Abstract: An electric drive for a motor vehicle includes a housing, an output shaft, an electric engine, which has a stator and a rotor rotatable relative to the stator, a planetary gear set arranged in the housing, which has a sun gear, a ring gear and a planetary carrier, which is non-rotatably connected to the output shaft, having a first switching element, by means of which the ring gear can be non-rotatably coupled to the rotor, and a second switching element, by means of which the ring gear can be non-rotatably coupled to the housing. The first switching element and the second switching element are coupled to each other via a first coupling element and thereby can be operated together by a single first actuator common to the first switching element and the second switching element.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2018Date of Patent: October 19, 2021Assignee: DAIMLER AGInventors: Ingo Pfannkuchen, Frank Steffens
-
Publication number: 20210148438Abstract: A range-change transmission device, which is a splitter transmission, includes an input shaft, an output shaft, a countershaft, at least one planetary gear set, and a torque adjustment device. A first transmission element of the planetary gear set is arranged coaxially to the output shaft. A second transmission element of the planetary gear set is or can be directly coupled to the countershaft. A third transmission element of the planetary gear set is permanently coupled to the input shaft in a rotationally fixed manner. The countershaft is or can be coupled to the torque adjustment device. The range-change transmission device has a first switching unit, which is provided to couple the countershaft to the output shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2018Publication date: May 20, 2021Inventors: Frank STEFFENS, Detlef SCHNITZER, Ingo PFANNKUCHEN, Jens LUCKMANN
-
Patent number: 11009102Abstract: A range-change transmission device includes an input shaft, an intermediate shaft, a countershaft, a transmission output shaft, and a first planetary gear set. A first transmission element of the first planetary gear set is permanently coupled to the intermediate shaft in a rotationally fixed manner. A second transmission element of the first planetary gear set is coupled to the transmission output shaft. A first switching unit is provided to arrange a third transmission element of the first planetary gear set to be fixed to the housing in at least one switching position. The range-change transmission device also includes a second planetary gear set. A third transmission element of the second planetary gear set is permanently coupled to the intermediate shaft in a rotationally fixed manner.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2018Date of Patent: May 18, 2021Assignee: DAIMLER AGInventors: Frank Steffens, Detlef Schnitzer, Ingo Pfannkuchen, Jens Luckmann
-
Patent number: 11002351Abstract: A range-change transmission device includes a main shaft, an output shaft, and a range-change unit. The range-change unit has at least one planetary gearbox, which includes at least one first gearbox element, at least one second gearbox element, and at least one third gearbox element. The range-change unit also has at least one shifting device, which is provided at least for the selective connection of the main shaft to the first gearbox element and/or to the second gearbox element.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2017Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: DAIMLER AGInventors: Ingo Pfannkuchen, Detlef Schnitzer, Frank Steffens, Jens Luckmann
-
Publication number: 20210025481Abstract: A range-change transmission device includes an input shaft, an intermediate shaft, a countershaft, a transmission output shaft, and a first planetary gear set. A first transmission element of the first planetary gear set is permanently coupled to the intermediate shaft in a rotationally fixed manner. A second transmission element of the first planetary gear set is coupled to the transmission output shaft. A first switching unit is provided to arrange a third transmission element of the first planetary gear set to be fixed to the housing in at least one switching position. The range-change transmission device also includes a second planetary gear set. A third transmission element of the second planetary gear set is permanently coupled to the intermediate shaft in a rotationally fixed manner.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2018Publication date: January 28, 2021Applicant: DaiMler AGInventors: Frank STEFFENS, Detlef SCHNITZER, Ingo PFANNKUCHEN, Jens LUCKMANN
-
Publication number: 20200393021Abstract: An electric drive for a motor vehicle includes a housing, an output shaft, an electric engine, which has a stator and a rotor rotatable relative to the stator, a planetary gear set arranged in the housing, which has a sun gear, a ring gear and a planetary carrier, which is non-rotatably connected to the output shaft, having a first switching element, by means of which the ring gear can be non-rotatably coupled to the rotor, and a second switching element, by means of which the ring gear can be non-rotatably coupled to the housing. The first switching element and the second switching element are coupled to each other via a first coupling element and thereby can be operated together by a single first actuator common to the first switching element and the second switching element.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2018Publication date: December 17, 2020Inventors: Ingo PFANNKUCHEN, Frank STEFFENS