Patents by Inventor Franz J. Wolf

Franz J. Wolf 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: 6318708
    Abstract: In a sleevelike hydraulically damping rubber bearing with at least two hydraulic working chambers, at least one throttle duct for the damping of vibrations of low amplitudes and one bypass duct for opening the bearing for shock amplitudes are provided. In order to improve the impermeability of the bearing to low disturbing noises, the natural resonance, typically located in the subacoustic range for such bearings, can be shifted into a frequency range around 200 Hz by the insertion of an uncoupling element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Woco Franz-Josef Wolf & Co.
    Inventors: Franz J. Wolf, Peter Koczar, Christian Fiedler
  • Patent number: 5616965
    Abstract: Apparatus for controlling and adjusting an arbitrary number of adjustment units for a motor vehicle includes an electro-pneumatic bus to which are connected in arbitrary sequence, both electrically and pneumatically, all the pertinent adjusting units. The electro-pneumatic bus is composed of at least one pneumatic adjustment pressure line and of at least one electric control signal line which may contain several conductors. While reference data from a central control electronics are applied through the electric control signal line of the electro-pneumatic bus, the individual adjusting units are connected through associated valves in the pneumatic system to the pneumatic adjustment pressure line of the electro-pneumatic bus. The adjusting units preferably are designed to be modular control loops. As a result the pneumatically driven adjusting members units not only two positions, but also they may be set and controlled in quasi-analogue manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1997
    Assignees: WOCO Franz-Josef Wolf & Co., Alcatel SEL Aktiengesellschaft, Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Franz J. Wolf, Uwe Reichert, Walter Decker, Frank Demling, Andrew Ogrissek, Dieter Feichtiger, Martin Lindmayer, Dieter Heinle
  • Patent number: 5433252
    Abstract: The invention concerns a dimensionally stable, elastically bending plastic coaxial tube for fluids, consisting of an outer tube and of at least one inner tube mounted in said outer tube in hermetically fluid-tight but separate manner, said inner tube being held in position in essentially coaxial manner relative to the said outer tube by means of spacers between, and integral with, the constituent tubes, each spacer being integral with only one of the constituent tubes and being so configured and arrayed that the outer tube and the inner tube are freely axially displaceable relative to each other at least to some limited extent.The coaxial tube is manufactured in that the inner tube is prefabricated, in particular by extrusion, and in that the outer tube is molded in-situ around the cooled inner tube, in particular by coaxial sheath extrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: WOCO Franz-Josef Wolf & Co.
    Inventors: Franz J. Wolf, Uwe Reichert
  • Patent number: 5328408
    Abstract: Absorbers for rotating shafts, particularly for universal-joint propeller shafts in motor vehicle construction, are formed with a segmented elastomer ring interconnecting an outer inertia ring and an inner hub ring. The inertia ring is connected to the hub ring with two to six connecting links made of elastic material which, in axial cross-section, primarily have the outer contour of a radially aligned and tangentially constricting "X". Surface complementary buffer webs are placed between the connecting links and form a comparatively close equidistant parting gap in relation to the neighboring connecting links and to the opposing surface of the hub ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1994
    Assignee: WOCO Franz-Josef Wolf & Co.
    Inventors: Franz J. Wolf, Manfred Thesenvitz, Martin Mohr, Joachim Schneider
  • Patent number: 5246214
    Abstract: A rubber block is shaped as a segment of a circular washer wherein opposite ends of the segment are surfaces against which torsional forces are applied to the blocks. A plurality of hollow ducts extend through the block and all the ducts are parallel to each other and essentially perpendicular to a main plane of the block. The main plane is perpendicular to the load bearing surfaces. The hollow ducts are intersected by cavities having cross-sectional areas larger than the corresponding cross-sectional areas of the ducts intersecting these cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1993
    Assignee: WOCO Franz-Josef Wolf & Co.
    Inventors: Franz J. Wolf, Hubert Pletsch
  • Patent number: 5213544
    Abstract: A compliant, acoustically insulating, torsionally elastic shaft coupling includes a shaft part and a driver part formed by support plates. At least one cage is defined by the support plates which house at least one rubber element of corresponding shape. To achieve an especially compliant torsionally spring characteristic line, the rubber element is formed with uniformly spaced cavities having a cross-section larger than that of hollow ducts centrally crossing a series of these cavities and extending at least essentially over the entire height of the rubber element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1993
    Assignee: WOCO Franz-Josef Wolf & Co.
    Inventors: Franz J. Wolf, Hubert Pletsch
  • Patent number: 5201489
    Abstract: The invention relates to a surface bearing 1 comprising a rubber strip or plate material penetrated by hollow channels 3 and cavities 2. The cavities 2 and hollow channels 3 all lie in a single surface at least essentially parallel or complementary in shape to the principal surface of the sheet material, each cavity 2 being penetrated in each case by only one hollow channel 3. The hollow channels 3 are open on at least one side and have a clear cross-sectional area which is at least a quarter of the largest cross-sectional area of the cavities 2 penetrated by this hollow channel 3. The hollow channels 3 can extend non-parallel to at least one longitudinal axis or to the longitudinal axis of the surface bearing, thus, for example, can form an angle of 90.degree. or 45.degree. with the latter, while they are parallel or non-parallel to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1993
    Assignee: Woco Franz-Josef Wolf & Co.
    Inventors: Franz J. Wolf, Hubert Pletsch
  • Patent number: 5188002
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper comprises a plurality of arcuate centrifugal mass segments arranged within a radially outer hub ring through which a shaft extends with spring segments therebetween. The centrifugal mass segments may be interconnected in a predetermined arrangement to each other with further spring members. The resonant frequency and the stiffening behavior of the spring characteristics of the damper increase as a function of shaft speed. Additionally, the torsional vibration damper absorbs axial and radial vibrations by supporting the centrifugal mass segments with the spring segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 23, 1993
    Assignee: WOCO Franz-Josef Wolf & Co.
    Inventors: Franz J. Wolf, Hubert Pletsch
  • Patent number: 5184799
    Abstract: The invention relates to a surface bearing 1 comprising a rubber strip or plate material penetrated by hollow channels 3 and cavities 2. The cavities 2 and hollow channels 3 all lie in a single surface at least essentially parallel or complementary in shape to the principal surface of the sheet material, each cavity 2 being penetrated in each case by only one hollow channel 3. The hollow channels 3 are open on at least one side and have a clear cross-sectional area which is at least a quarter of the largest cross-sectional area of the cavities 2 penetrated by this hollow channel 3. The hollow channels 3 can extend non-parallel to at least one longitudinal axis or to the longitudinal axis of the surface bearing, thus, for example, can form an angle of 90.degree. or 45.degree. with the latter, while they are parallel or non-parallel to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1993
    Assignee: WOCO Franz-Josef Wolf & Co.
    Inventors: Franz J. Wolf, Hubert Pletsch
  • Patent number: 5110660
    Abstract: In order to obtain a particularly soft spring characteristic the rubber spring element consisting of relatively hard material having good mechanical strength is traversed by cavities and hollow channels, which intersect said cavities, in such a manner that the area of the inside cross-section of the hollow channels amounts to at least 25% of the area of the largest inside cross-section of the nearest cavity traversed by this hollow channel, while the hollow channels may directly intersect in the rubber matrix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1992
    Assignee: WOCO Franz-Josef Wolf & Co.
    Inventors: Franz J. Wolf, Hubert Pletsch
  • Patent number: 5036726
    Abstract: A torsional-vibration damper comprises three concentric ring elements being a hub ring, a flywheel ring and an elastic ring. The flywheel ring is mounted radially inside the hub ring and inside the elastic ring mounted between the hub ring and the flywheel ring. The operating frequency of the torsional-vibration damper is thereby dependent on anguular speed such that as the angular speed increases, the effective operating frequency of the tornsional-vibration damper is shifted higher by increased stiffening of the elastic link between the flywheel ring and the hub ring due to the centrifugal force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 6, 1991
    Assignee: WOCO Franz-Josef Wolf & Co.
    Inventors: Franz J. Wolf, Hubert Pletsch
  • Patent number: 5014967
    Abstract: In a spring element according to the present invention, all channels formed in the elastomer block are mutually parallel and all cavities formed in the elastomer block, too, which are intersected by said channels, are arranged like a cubic-free-centered sphere packing in reverse order. Comprising a good mechanical lateral rigidity, a spring element according to the present invention shows exceptionally good acoustic insulating and damping facilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1991
    Assignee: WOCO Franz-Josef Wolf & Co.
    Inventors: Franz J. Wolf, Hubert Pletsch
  • Patent number: 4970103
    Abstract: A preformed part made of plastics material, especially a sheet-like plastics part made by injection molding is formed to be integral with elastic portions. The elastic portions serve as seals, as for feed-through holes in the plastics part. A ring-shaped circular closed protruding edge or ring-shaped rib, formed integrally with the plastics part around the regions to be coated with rubber, limit the region where elastic material is deposited to integrate with the plastics material. An annular region around rib has a radial span around the recesses, bore holes or edges into which the rubber material is injected, and enables insertion of the elastic material despite the presence of differential thermal expansion between the plastic part and a metal forming tool to shape the elastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1990
    Assignee: WOCO Franz-Josef Wolf & Co.
    Inventors: Franz J. Wolf, Peter Kaminski
  • Patent number: 4958812
    Abstract: A suspension spring system includes a housing, a suspension spring located in the housing and a bistable control spring located in the housing. A load supporting member is positioned at least partially within the housing and is movable with respect to the housing. The control spring is radially compressed within the housing so that the control spring is prestressed. The control spring is shiftable between two stable final positions and is, thus, able to influence and control the spring characteristics of the suspension spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 25, 1990
    Assignee: WOCO Franz-Josef Wolf & Co.
    Inventors: Franz J. Wolf, Hubert Pletsch
  • Patent number: 4925163
    Abstract: The invention relates to a spring element (1) used for elastically supporting large loads. The spring element comprises an elastic rubber block having uniformly distributed spherical cavities (2) which are intersected by clindrical or prismatic channels (3) also formed in the rubber material. The channels (3) form groups of channels defining areas stacked on top of each other in the direction of the vector of a load to be supported, which areas neither intersect nor touch each other. These areas may be three-dimensionally-shaped areas, for example envelopes of a cone or corrugated areas, as well as mutually parallel planes oriented obliquely to the direction of the load vector. When projected onto a horizontal plane, the groups of channels (3) are either radially extending and uniformly angularly spaced if the areas are envelopes of a cone, or are mutually parallel if the areas are obliquely arranged planes. In no way, the channels (3) intersect or touch each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1990
    Assignee: Woco Franz-Josef Wolf & Co
    Inventors: Franz J. Wolf, Hubert Pletsch
  • Patent number: 4887801
    Abstract: The hydraulically damped elastomer-metal bearing comprises a bell-type housing two rigidly connected truncated conical support springs, which are located in the housing and which are oriented in the same direction. Between the two support springs, a disc-type separating element is fixed in a liquid-tighten manner such that above that disc-type separating element a second working chamber containing a damping liquid is defined, which is activated when the bearing is unloaded, while below the disc-type separating element a first working chamber is defined, from which the hydraulic liquid is pressed back to the second working chamber when the bearing is compressed by the load to be supported. Two entirely hydraulically independent throttling channels are formed in the disc-type separating element, which throttling channels can be closed by back valves, whose working direction is oppositely directed. Thus each of the two independent channels is passed by the pressurized damping liquid in one flow direction only.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 19, 1989
    Assignee: WOCO Franz-Josef Wolf & Co.
    Inventors: Franz J. Wolf, Hubert Pletsch
  • Patent number: 4861003
    Abstract: The bearing includes of a beaker-type housing part in which a soft rubber support spring is arranged bearing a load supporting plate which is enclosed by a disc-type control spring arranged transversely to the support spring. The combination of the control spring and the load support plate is clamped radially pre-stressed in the upper portion of the beaker-type housing part such that the beaker-type housing part is hermetically closed in a gas-tight and liquid-tight manner. A clapper-type damping piston is suspended in a recess at the lower side of the load support plate and is free to move in an axial direction; The piston head is slidably fitted in a substantially exactly fitting manner into a cylindrical tube attached to the bottom of the beaker-type housing part. The hermetically closed bearing is filled with a damping liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1989
    Assignee: WOCO Franz-Josef Wolf & Co.
    Inventors: Franz J. Wolf, Hubert Pletsch
  • Patent number: 4807857
    Abstract: A soft mounting for insulating body transmitted waves comprises a soft support spring block made of elastic material. The support spring block is disposed between two beaker-type housing parts which serve to transfer load forces into the support spring block. The housing parts are arranged coaxially with respect to one another and are telescopically positioned within one another. Elastomer spring elements having cavities located therein concentrically surround the support spring block. The cavities serve to show the effect of a collapse of a spring restoration force by kinking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1989
    Assignees: WOCO Franz-Josef Wolf & Co., Volkswagen AG
    Inventors: Franz J. Wolf, Hubert Pletsch, Otto Weber, Volkamr Keck
  • Patent number: 4776573
    Abstract: A spring element comprises an elastomer block (5) interspersed with at least two sets of cylindrical or prismatic channels (1) which in turn intersect cavities (2) formed in the elastomer block (5), the greatest inside cross-section of which cavities in the plane located at right angles to the channel axis is greater than the cross-section of the channels in that plane, said sets of channels mutually crossing at different levels in space without mutually intersecting. By virtue of this mode of interspersing the elastomer spring element with cavities, an optimal distribution of compressive stresses in the spring element combined with an optimum acoustic damping are achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1988
    Assignee: Woco Franz-Josef Wolf & Co.
    Inventors: Franz J. Wolf, Hubert Pletsch
  • Patent number: 4750720
    Abstract: A spring element comprising a resilient block interspersed with mutually parallel channels has an especially soft spring characteristic, since the block is interspersed with at least two series of channels mutually crossing in space without intersecting each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1988
    Assignee: WOCO Franz-Josef Wolf & Co.
    Inventors: Franz J. Wolf, Hubert Pletsch