Patents by Inventor Franz Benz

Franz Benz 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: 8308606
    Abstract: A hydraulic supply system for a hydraulically-operated automatic transmission includes a primary pump that is driven by an internal combustion engine of a vehicle. An electrically-driven auxiliary pump is provided to supply the system with hydraulic pressure when the primary pump is off or to supplement the primary pump when the primary pump does not deliver sufficient pressure. A discharge line from the auxiliary pump is connected to a control line of the hydraulic supply system and to the hydraulic system supply line under system pressure. Check valves are provided in the respective lines from the auxiliary pump. An additional check valve is provided in a line that extends from the control line to a torque sensing chamber of the automatic transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Eric Müller, Marco Grethel, Hanjo Nissen, Franz Benz
  • Patent number: 7918245
    Abstract: A hydraulic pressure reservoir having at least one pressure chamber formed between two opposed, movable inner boundary members. Each inner boundary members includes a spring cover and a diaphragm spring. An outer boundary member peripherally surrounds the movable inner boundary members and has a U-shaped cross section along at least a part of its periphery to axially support the diaphragm springs in a fixed axial position. The outer boundary member can be formed in several pieces that are held together by interconnections or by a surrounding outer tensioning member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG
    Inventors: Martin Staudinger, Marco Grethel, Felix Dreher, Franz Benz
  • Publication number: 20090194176
    Abstract: A hydraulic supply system for a hydraulically-operated automatic transmission includes a primary pump that is driven by an internal combustion engine of a vehicle. An electrically-driven auxiliary pump is provided to supply the system with hydraulic pressure when the primary pump is off or to supplement the primary pump when the primary pump does not deliver sufficient pressure. A discharge line from the auxiliary pump is connected to a control line of the hydraulic supply system and to the hydraulic system supply line under system pressure. Check valves are provided in the respective lines from the auxiliary pump. An additional check valve is provided in a line that extends from the control line to a torque sensing chamber of the automatic transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Betelligungs KG
    Inventors: Eric Müller, Marco Grethel, Hanjo Nissen, Franz Benz
  • Publication number: 20080257439
    Abstract: A hydraulic pressure reservoir having at least one pressure chamber formed between two opposed, movable inner boundary members. Each inner boundary members includes a spring cover and a diaphragm spring. An outer boundary member peripherally surrounds the movable inner boundary members and has a U-shaped cross section along at least a part of its periphery to axially support the diaphragm springs in a fixed axial position. The outer boundary member can be formed in several pieces that are held together by interconnections or by a surrounding outer tensioning member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG
    Inventors: Martin Staudinger, Marco Grethel, Felix Dreher, Franz Benz
  • Patent number: 7360359
    Abstract: To disengage a clutch using the clutch actuation in the event of a failure of the system, having pedal force-assisted pressurization of the hydraulic system, composed of two hydraulic circuits, a master cylinder and a slave cylinder being essentially disposed in the first circuit, and an electromotor-driven pump being in the second circuit, and the two circuits communicating with one another in a mutually controllable fashion via a valve block having a pressure slide valve and a pressure-valve spring, an emergency release mechanism is provided in the hydraulic system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteitigungs KG
    Inventors: Marco Grethel, Franz Benz
  • Publication number: 20060131123
    Abstract: To disengage a clutch using the clutch actuation in the event of a failure of the system, having pedal force-assisted pressurization of the hydraulic system, composed of two hydraulic circuits, a master cylinder and a slave cylinder being essentially disposed in the first circuit, and an electromotor-driven pump being in the second circuit, and the two circuits communicating with one another in a mutually controllable fashion via a valve block having a pressure slide valve and a pressure-valve spring, an emergency release mechanism is provided in the hydraulic system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Publication date: June 22, 2006
    Applicant: LUK LAMELLEN UND KUPPLUNGSBAU BETEILIGUNGS KG
    Inventors: Marco Grethel, Franz Benz