Patents by Inventor Friedrich Tenbrock
Friedrich Tenbrock 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).
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Publication number: 20090312144Abstract: A method of controlling a hybrid drive train of a vehicle having, in series, an internal combustion engine, a clutch, an electric motor and a transmission with an output connected to the drive axle. During traction operation, the vehicle changes from an electric driving mode into a combination driving mode or a combustion engine driving mode, in that the clutch is engaged and the combustion engine torque is temporarily increased. The method includes regulating engagement of the clutch at least until reaching a starting rotational speed of the combustion engine such that the acceleration of the combustion engine occurs according to a predetermined progression of rotational speed and that the torque of the combustion engine is increased by the same amount as the transferable torque of the clutch is increased by the engagement process.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2009Publication date: December 17, 2009Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Bernd Allgaier, Friedrich Tenbrock, Thomas Lemp, Michael Gromus
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Publication number: 20090312143Abstract: A method for controlling a hybrid drivetrain of a motor vehicle such that, during a thrust operation of the vehicle, a change takes place from a combustion-powered driving mode, in which the combustion engine is in a thrust operation, the separator clutch is engaged and the electric machine contributes no force, or from a combined driving mode in which the engine is in a thrust operation, the clutch is engaged and the electric machine operates as a generator, to an electric driving mode in which the engine is switched off, the clutch is disengaged and the electric machine operates as a generator. To efficiently change driving modes, the clutch is partially disengaged to a slip limit; the clutch is then completely disengaged; and when the clutch reaches the slip limit, the generator torque of the electric machine is increased inversely to the torque that can be transmitted by the clutch.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2009Publication date: December 17, 2009Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Bernd Allgaier, Friedrich Tenbrock, Thomas Lemp, Michael Gromus
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Patent number: 7563193Abstract: A method for actuating the transmission of a motor vehicle having a hybrid drive mechanism, especially for the case when an electric accumulator is loaded via the internal combustion engine and the selector lever (1) is locked electronically or via a mechanical selector lever locking device during the loading operation. Regarding the selector lever actuation, the driver's wish is detected by way of a sensor device (3) and when it is determined that the drive is going to activate a running step by the sensor device (3), the loading operation of the electric accumulator is immediately discontinued, via the internal combustion engine, and an operating state is adjusted which allows a safe activation of a transmission running step and subsequently the lock of the selector lever (1) is released or the selector lever locking device (2) is unlocked.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2006Date of Patent: July 21, 2009Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Friedrich Tenbrock, Ralf Dreibholz
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Patent number: 7469169Abstract: A method for controlling and regulating the input power distribution of prime movers in a power train (1) of a motor vehicle which has one internal combustion engine (2), at least one electric machine (6, 14), at least one clutch (4, 11), the same as one transmission (12), and in which there is at least one control and regulation unit which, on the basis of predetermined, measuring and calculated values, controls and regulates the input power distribution between the internal combustion engine (2) and at least one electric machine (6, 14) with regard to power dynamics of the vehicle, the same as its energy consumption, its emission and its driving comfort.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2004Date of Patent: December 23, 2008Assignees: ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventors: Ralf Dreibholz, Friedrich Tenbrock, Gerd Frotscher, Johannes Kaltenbach, Markus Kaindl, Jürgen Gebert, Joachim Fröschl
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Publication number: 20080016599Abstract: A method for operating a parallel hybrid drive train of a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, an electric engine and an output. The electric engine being located in the power drive between the output and the internal combustion engine. A second shifting element is located between the internal combustion engine and the electric engine and a first shifting element between the electric engine and the output. Output torque driving the output can be adjusted according to the transmitting capacities of the first and second shifting elements and according to the input torque of the electric engine and/or internal combustion engine. These adjustments are corrected according to standards derived from divergences found in parameters during operation of the drive train.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2007Publication date: January 17, 2008Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Ralf Dreibholz, Johannes Kaltenbach, Michael Gromus, Stefan Blattner, Bernd Allgaier, Stefan Kilian, Peter Schiele, Friedrich Tenbrock, Gerd Frotscher
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Publication number: 20070246273Abstract: A method for operating a parallel hybrid powertrain (1) of a vehicle having one internal combustion engine (2) and one electric motor (3). The electric motor is located in the drivetrain between an output and the internal combustion engine. Between the internal combustion engine and the electric motor, a frictionally engaged shifting element is provided, while between the electric motor and the output, a starting element (6) having a hydrodynamic torque converter (6A) and a converter lock-up clutch (6B) is disposed. A target output torque to be applied to the output is dependent on the slippage of the starting element. During a starting phase of the internal combustion engine via the electric motor, an input torque produced by the electric motor is directed at least in part via the torque converter and in part via the converter lock-up clutch.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2007Publication date: October 25, 2007Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Friedrich Tenbrock, Peter Schiele, Johannes Kaltenbach, Bernd Allgaier, Christian Schwemer, Michael Gromus, Martin Neumann, Klaus Habe
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Publication number: 20070207892Abstract: A method is described for operating a parallel hybrid device train (1) of a vehicle having an internal combustion engine (2), an electric engine (3) and an output (5) wherein the electric engine (3) is disposed in the power train between the output (5) and the internal combustion engine (2) and both between the internal combustion engine (2) and the electric engine (3) and between the electric engine (3) and the output (5) is respectively provided a frictionally engaged shifting element (7, 8). In addition, a nominal output torque abutting on the output (5) can be adjusted according to the transmitting capacity of the first shifting element (8) located between the electric engine (3) and the output (5). According to the invention, the transmitting capacity of the first shifting element (8) is adjusted under control according to the nominal input torque required so that the first shifting element (8) has a transmitting capacity needed for producing the nominal output torque on the output (5).Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2007Publication date: September 6, 2007Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Ralf Dreibholz, Johannes Kaltenbach, Michael Gromus, Stefan Blattner, Bernd Allgaier, Stefan Kilian, Peter Schiele, Friedrich Tenbrock, Gerd Frotscher
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Publication number: 20070082780Abstract: A method for actuating the transmission of a motor vehicle having a hybrid drive mechanism, especially for the case when an electric accumulator is loaded via the internal combustion engine and the selector lever (1) is locked electronically or via a mechanical selector lever locking device during the loading operation. Regarding the selector lever actuation, the driver's wish is detected by way of a sensor device (3) and when it is determined that the drive is going to activate a running step by the sensor device (3), the loading operation of the electric accumulator is immediately discontinued, via the internal combustion engine, and an operating state is adjusted which allows a safe activation of a transmission running step and subsequently the lock of the selector lever (1) is released or the selector lever locking device (2) is unlocked.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2006Publication date: April 12, 2007Inventors: Friedrich Tenbrock, Ralf Dreibholz
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Publication number: 20060048516Abstract: A method and a device for steering and regulating components of a hybrid driveline (1, 2). For the mode of operation sparing in fuel and poor in emission of a motor vehicle having one such driveline, it is provided that the input torque desired by the driver be distributed among the drive torques of one internal combustion machine (VM) and of at least one electric machine (EM1, EM2) and such a driving mode be selected so that the state of charge of an electric energy accumulator (28) is optimally adapted to the actual rather dynamic or rather economic mode of operation of the driver.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2005Publication date: March 9, 2006Inventors: Friedrich Tenbrock, Ralf Dreibholz, Johannes Kaltenbach
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Publication number: 20060048988Abstract: A device and method for determination of the drive-power distribution in a hybrid driveline of a vehicle, a land or water vehicle or an aircraft. The device is characterized by a device for determining a nominal state of charge (soc_ksport) of an energy accumulator as a function of the driver's current, dynamic or economical manner of driving and for determining the current mode of operation (operating mode) of the driveline as a function of the nominal state of charge (soc_ksport), by way of a device (23) for determining the electrically possible nominal drive-power (em_soll_p1) for one electric machine as a function of the nominal state of charge (soc_ksport) and the current mode of operation (operating mode) of the driveline, and by a device for determining the nominal drive-power (vm_soll_p, em_soll_p) for the combustion engine and the at least one electric machine as a function of the electrically possible nominal drive-power (em_soll_p1).Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2005Publication date: March 9, 2006Inventors: Ralf Dreibholz, Johannes Kaltenbach, Friedrich Tenbrock
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Publication number: 20050038577Abstract: A method for controlling and regulating the input power distribution of prime movers in a power train (1) of a motor vehicle which has one internal combustion engine (2), at least one electric machine (6, 14), at least one clutch (4, 11), the same as one transmission (12), and in which there is at least one control and regulation unit which, on the basis of predetermined, measuring and calculated values, controls and regulates the input power distribution between the internal combustion engine (2) and at least one electric machine (6, 14) with regard to power dynamics of the vehicle, the same as its energy consumption, its emission and its driving comfort.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2004Publication date: February 17, 2005Inventors: Ralf Dreibholz, Friedrich Tenbrock, Gerd Frotscher, Johannes Kaltenbach, Markus Kaindl, Jurgen Gebert, Joachim Froschl
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Patent number: 6594573Abstract: The invention relates to a method for regulating an electrohydraulically controlled clutch or a brake of a transmission. According to the invention, the clutch or brake is regulated using a model-based compensation pressure regulator with the help of an observation unit, whereby the compensation-pressure control circuit contains a non-linear compensation element which corresponds to the inverse model of the control system of the coupling or brake. The observation unit estimates interference levels of the clutch regulation from a drive chain model, according to a condition-estimation procedure.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2002Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Thomas Rossmann, Friedrich Tenbrock, Dieter Neumann
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Patent number: 6186923Abstract: The invention relates to a method for increasing the spontaneity of automatic gear boxes with overlapping gear shifts. The overlapping gear shifts consist of three phases. Upshifting from a first gear ratio to a second gear ratio is aborted and downshifting to a first gear ratio occurs if an abort criterion is detected. The abort criterion is validated if a request for downshifting is made by the driver and detected before the third overlapping shift phase begins.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 1999Date of Patent: February 13, 2001Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Christian Popp, Friedrich Tenbrock, Hansjörg Rosi
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Patent number: 6176811Abstract: A method for increasing the spontaneity is proposed for an automatic transmission, the gear shifts of which are carried out as overlapping gear shifts. Here an upshift from a first to a second gear is not completely terminated and a change back from an upshift to the first gear is carried out when an abort criterion is detected.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 1999Date of Patent: January 23, 2001Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Christian Popp, Friedrich Tenbrock, Hansjörg Rosi
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Patent number: 6157883Abstract: For an electro-hydraulically controlled automatic transmission (2) in which shifts are performed by overlapping, a method is proposed for increasing the spontaneity, in which a variable hold time is introduced for a disengaging clutch. This variable hold time is a function of the rotational speed differential of a transmission input speed (nT) and the temperature of the hydraulic fluid (.THETA.).Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 1999Date of Patent: December 5, 2000Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Christian Popp, Friedrich Tenbrock, Hansjorg Rosi
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Patent number: 6148682Abstract: A method is proposed for increasing the spontaneity of an automatic transmission where the gear shifts are carried out as overlapping gears. Here an upshift from a first to a second reduction step is not completely terminated and a change over to a downshift is carried out when an abort criterion is detected.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 1999Date of Patent: November 21, 2000Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Christian Popp, Friedrich Tenbrock, Hansjorg Rosi