Patents by Inventor Gerhard Niederbrucker

Gerhard Niederbrucker 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: 11649009
    Abstract: A transmission for a bicycle includes at least four shift elements, one input shaft (1), a first planetary gear set (PS1) which is operatively connected to the input shaft (1), and a second planetary gear set (PS2). A carrier of the first planetary gear set is rotationally fixed to a carrier of the second planetary gear set (PS2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Johannes Kaltenbach, Valerie Engel, Uwe Griesmeier, Matthias Wesa, Michael Wechs, Jens Moraw, Gerhard Niederbrucker
  • Publication number: 20230137376
    Abstract: A transmission (G) for a motor vehicle includes an electric machine (EM), a first input shaft (1), a second input shaft (5), an output shaft (2), three planetary gear sets (11, 12, 13), and at least four shift elements (SE1, SE2, SE3, SE4). Different gears are selectable by selectively actuating the at least four shift elements (SE1, SE2, SE3, SE4) and, in addition, in interaction with the electric machine (EM), different operating modes are implementable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: Stefan Beck, Juri Pawlakowitsch, Ingo Pfannkuchen, Michael Wechs, Johannes Kaltenbach, Matthias Horn, Jens Moraw, Fabian Kutter, Thomas Martin, Uwe Griesmeier, Gerhard Niederbrucker
  • Patent number: 11571961
    Abstract: A transmission (G) for a motor vehicle includes an electric machine (EM1), a first input shaft (GW1), a second input shaft (GW2), an output shaft (GWA), two planetary gear sets (P1, P2, P3), and at least five shift elements (A, B, C, D, E). Different gears are implementable by selectively actuating the at least five shift elements (A, B, C, D, E) and, in addition, in interaction with the electric machine (EM1), different operating modes are implementable. A drive train for a motor vehicle with the transmission (G), and to a method for operating the transmission (G) are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Stefan Beck, Johannes Kaltenbach, Matthias Horn, Uwe Griesmeier, Thomas Martin, Fabian Kutter, Michael Wechs, Jens Moraw, Gerhard Niederbrucker
  • Patent number: 11479105
    Abstract: A transmission (G) for a motor vehicle includes an electric machine (EM1), a first input shaft (GW1), a second input shaft (GW2), an output shaft (GWA), three planetary gear sets (P1, P2, P3), and at least six shift elements (A, B, C, D, E, F). Different gears are implementable by selectively actuating the at least six shift elements (A, B, C, D, E, F), and different operating modes are implementable by selectively actuating the at least six shift elements (A, B, C, D, E, F) in interaction with the electric machine (EM1). A drive train for a motor vehicle with the transmission (G) and a method for operating the transmission (G) are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Stefan Beck, Matthias Horn, Johannes Kaltenbach, Uwe Griesmeier, Fabian Kutter, Thomas Martin, Michael Wechs, Jens Moraw, Gerhard Niederbrucker
  • Patent number: 11473651
    Abstract: A transmission (G) for a motor vehicle includes an electric machine (EM1), a first input shaft (GW1), a second input shaft (GW2), an output shaft (GWA), three planetary gear sets (P1, P2, P3), and at least six shift elements (A, B, C, D, E, F). Different gears are implementable by selectively actuating the at least six shift elements (A, B, C, D, E, F), and different operating modes are implementable by selectively actuating the at least six shift elements (A, B, C, D, E, F) in interaction with the electric machine (EM1). A drive train for a motor vehicle with the transmission (G) and a method for operating the transmission (G) are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Stefan Beck, Johannes Kaltenbach, Matthias Horn, Thomas Martin, Fabian Kutter, Uwe Griesmeier, Michael Wechs, Jens Moraw, Gerhard Niederbrucker
  • Patent number: 11338661
    Abstract: A transmission (G) for a motor vehicle includes an electric machine (EM1), a first input shaft (GW1), a second input shaft (GW2), an output shaft (GWA), three planetary gear sets (P1, P2, P3), and at least six shift elements (A, B, C, D, E, F). Different gears are implementable by selectively actuating the at least six shift elements (A, B, C, D, E, F) and, in addition, in interaction with the electric machine (EM1), different operating modes are implementable. A drive train for a motor vehicle with such a transmission (G) and to a method for operating same are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Stefan Beck, Matthias Horn, Johannes Kaltenbach, Uwe Griesmeier, Michael Wechs, Fabian Kutter, Thomas Martin, Jens Moraw, Gerhard Niederbrucker
  • Patent number: 11305635
    Abstract: A transmission (G) for a motor vehicle includes an electric machine (EM1), a first input shaft (GW1), a second input shaft (GW2), an output shaft (GWA), three planetary gear sets (P1, P2, P3), and at least six shift elements (A, B, C, D, E, F). Different gears are implementable by selectively actuating the at least six shift elements (A, B, C, D, E, F) and, in addition, in interaction with the electric machine (EM1), different operating modes are implementable. A drive train for a motor vehicle with such a transmission (G) and to a method for operating same are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Stefan Beck, Matthias Horn, Johannes Kaltenbach, Uwe Griesmeier, Fabian Kutter, Thomas Martin, Michael Wechs, Gerhard Niederbrucker, Jens Moraw
  • Publication number: 20220111718
    Abstract: A transmission (G) for a motor vehicle includes an electric machine (EM1), a first input shaft (GW1), a second input shaft (GW2), an output shaft (GWA), two planetary gear sets (P1, P2, P3), and at least five shift elements (A, B, C, D, E). Different gears are implementable by selectively actuating the at least five shift elements (A, B, C, D, E) and, in addition, in interaction with the electric machine (EM1), different operating modes are implementable. A drive train for a motor vehicle with the transmission (G), and to a method for operating the transmission (G) are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Stefan Beck, Johannes Kaltenbach, Matthias Horn, Uwe Griesmeier, Thomas Martin, Fabian Kutter, Michael Wechs, Jens Moraw, Gerhard Niederbrucker
  • Patent number: 11287017
    Abstract: A transmission (G) for a motor vehicle includes an electric machine (EM1), a first input shaft (GW1), a second input shaft (GW2), an output shaft (GWA), two planetary gear sets (P1, P2, P3), and at least five shift elements (A, B, C, D, E). Different gears are implementable by selectively actuating the at least five shift elements (A, B, C, D, E) and, in addition, in interaction with the electric machine (EM1), different operating modes are implementable. A drive train for a motor vehicle with the transmission (G) and a method for the transmission (G) are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Stefan Beck, Johannes Kaltenbach, Matthias Horn, Uwe Griesmeier, Fabian Kutter, Thomas Martin, Michael Wechs, Jens Moraw, Gerhard Niederbrucker
  • Patent number: 11254199
    Abstract: A transmission (G) includes an input shaft (GW1), an output shaft (GW2), an electric machine (EM), a plurality of planetary gear sets (P1-P3; 2P1-2P5), and gear-implementing shift elements (S1-S6; 2S1-2S5). Via engagement of a first of the gear-implementing shift elements (S1, 2S1), which is a force-locking shift element having a variable torque transmission capacity, the input shaft (GW1) and an element (E1, 22E1) of one of the planetary gear sets (P3; 2P4) can be brought into a fixed rotational speed relationship with respect to each other. Another element (E2, 22E2a, 22E2b) of one of the planetary gear sets (P1, 2P3, 2P5) is permanently connected to a rotor (R) of the electric machine (EM). By engaging an auxiliary shift element (ZS, 2ZSa, 2ZSb), which is a form-locking shift element, the rotor (R) and the input shaft (GW1) can be brought into a fixed rotational speed relationship with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Martin Brehmer, Stefan Beck, Anton Fritzer, Suryanto Hendrawan, Matthias Horn, Johannes Kaltenbach, Raffael Kuberczyk, Jens Moraw, Gerhard Niederbrucker, Martin Rattay, Matthias Reisch, Wolfgang Rieger, Thomas Rosemeier, Lara Ruth Turner, Bernd Unseld, Viktor Warth, Michael Wechs, Peter Ziemer, Oliver Bayer
  • Publication number: 20220009332
    Abstract: A transmission (G) for a motor vehicle includes an electric machine (EM1), a first input shaft (GW1), a second input shaft (GW2), an output shaft (GWA), three planetary gear sets (P1, P2, P3), and at least six shift elements (A, B, C, D, E, F). Different gears are implementable by selectively actuating the at least six shift elements (A, B, C, D, E, F), and different operating modes are implementable by selectively actuating the at least six shift elements (A, B, C, D, E, F) in interaction with the electric machine (EM1). A drive train for a motor vehicle with the transmission (G) and a method for operating the transmission (G) are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: Stefan Beck, Matthias Horn, Johannes Kaltenbach, Uwe Griesmeier, Fabian Kutter, Thomas Martin, Michael Wechs, Jens Moraw, Gerhard Niederbrucker
  • Publication number: 20220010863
    Abstract: A transmission (G) for a motor vehicle includes an electric machine (EM1), a first input shaft (GW1), a second input shaft (GW2), an output shaft (GWA), three planetary gear sets (P1, P2, P3), and at least six shift elements (A, B, C, D, E, F). Different gears are implementable by selectively actuating the at least six shift elements (A, B, C, D, E, F), and different operating modes are implementable by selectively actuating the at least six shift elements (A, B, C, D, E, F) in interaction with the electric machine (EM1). A drive train for a motor vehicle with the transmission (G) and a method for operating the transmission (G) are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: Stefan Beck, Johannes Kaltenbach, Matthias Horn, Thomas Martin, Fabian Kutter, Uwe Griesmeier, Michael Wechs, Jens Moraw, Gerhard Niederbrucker
  • Publication number: 20210379981
    Abstract: A transmission (G) for a motor vehicle includes an electric machine (EM1), a first input shaft (GW1), a second input shaft (GW2), an output shaft (GWA), three planetary gear sets (P1, P2, P3), and at least six shift elements (A, B, C, D, E, F). Different gears are implementable by selectively actuating the at least six shift elements (A, B, C, D, E, F) and, in addition, in interaction with the electric machine (EM1), different operating modes are implementable. A drive train for a motor vehicle with such a transmission (G) and to a method for operating same are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Stefan Beck, Matthias Horn, Johannes Kaltenbach, Uwe Griesmeier, Michael Wechs, Fabian Kutter, Thomas Martin, Jens Moraw, Gerhard Niederbrucker
  • Publication number: 20210370758
    Abstract: A transmission (G) for a motor vehicle includes an electric machine (EM1), a first input shaft (GW1), a second input shaft (GW2), an output shaft (GWA), three planetary gear sets (P1, P2, P3), and at least six shift elements (A, B, C, D, E, F). Different gears are implementable by selectively actuating the at least six shift elements (A, B, C, D, E, F) and, in addition, in interaction with the electric machine (EM1), different operating modes are implementable. A drive train for a motor vehicle with such a transmission (G) and to a method for operating same are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Stefan Beck, Matthias Horn, Johannes Kaltenbach, Uwe Griesmeier, Fabian Kutter, Thomas Martin, Michael Wechs, Gerhard Niederbrucker, Jens Moraw
  • Publication number: 20210356021
    Abstract: A transmission (G) for a motor vehicle includes an electric machine (EM1), a first input shaft (GW1), a second input shaft (GW2), an output shaft (GWA), two planetary gear sets (P1, P2, P3), and at least five shift elements (A, B, C, D, E). Different gears are implementable by selectively actuating the at least five shift elements (A, B, C, D, E) and, in addition, in interaction with the electric machine (EM1), different operating modes are implementable. A drive train for a motor vehicle with the transmission (G) and a method for the transmission (G) are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Stefan Beck, Johannes Kaltenbach, Matthias Horn, Uwe Griesmeier, Fabian Kutter, Thomas Martin, Michael Wechs, Jens Moraw, Gerhard Niederbrucker
  • Patent number: 11091165
    Abstract: A method for estimating a probability distribution of the maximum coefficient of friction (?) at a current and/or future waypoint (s, s*) of a vehicle. According to the method, a first probability distribution (WV1) for the maximum coefficient of friction (?) at the waypoint (s) of the vehicle is determined by a Bayesian network from a first data set, which is, or was determined, for one, in particular current, waypoint (s) of the vehicle and which characterizes the maximum coefficient of friction (?) at the waypoint (s) of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignees: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG, LUCAS AUTOMOTIVE GMBH
    Inventors: Matthias Schlegel, Jochen Abhau, Heinz-Joachim Gilsdorf, Julian King, Jochen Köhler, Horst Krimmel, Gerhard Niederbrucker, Lara Ruth Turner, Volker Wagner, Robert Zdych, Vanessa Adler, Sascha Heinrichs-Bartscher, Ralf Raffauf, Holger Simon, Walter Stein
  • Patent number: 11028904
    Abstract: A transmission (G) for a motor vehicle. The transmission (G) comprises a transmission input (GW1-A), a transmission output (GW2-A), first, second, third and fourth planetary gearsets (P1, P2, P3, P4) and first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth shift elements (B1, B2, K1, K2, K3, K4). Ten forward gears and one reverse gear can be achieved between the transmission input (GW1-A) and the transmission output (GW2-A) by selectively operating the six shift elements (B1, B2, K1, K2, K3, K4). A drive train for a motor vehicle having such a transmission (G) is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Inventors: Stefan Beck, Johannes Kaltenbach, Michael Wechs, Michael Trübenbach, Kai Bornträger, Johannes Glückler, Jens Moraw, Gerhard Niederbrucker, Peter Ziemer
  • Publication number: 20210162984
    Abstract: A transmission (G) includes an input shaft (GW1), an output shaft (GW2), an electric machine (EM), a plurality of planetary gear sets (P1-P3; 2P1-2P5), and gear-implementing shift elements (S1-S6; 2S1-2S5). Via engagement of a first of the gear-implementing shift elements (51, 2S1), which is a force-locking shift element having a variable torque transmission capacity, the input shaft (GW1) and an element (E1, 22E1) of one of the planetary gear sets (P3; 2P4) can be brought into a fixed rotational speed relationship with respect to each other. Another element (E2, 22E2a, 22E2b) of one of the planetary gear sets (P1, 2P3, 2P5) is permanently connected to a rotor (R) of the electric machine (EM). By engaging an auxiliary shift element (ZS, 2ZSa, 2ZSb), which is a form-locking shift element, the rotor (R) and the input shaft (GW1) can be brought into a fixed rotational speed relationship with respect to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: Martin Brehmer, Stefan Beck, Anton Fritzer, Suryanto Hendrawan, Matthias Horn, Johannes Kaltenbach, Raffael Kuberczyk, Jens Moraw, Gerhard Niederbrucker, Martin Rattay, Matthias Reisch, Wolfgang Rieger, Thomas Rosemeier, Lara Ruth Turner, Bernd Unseld, Viktor Warth, Michael Wechs, Peter Ziemer, Oliver Bayer
  • Patent number: 10995826
    Abstract: A transmission (G) for a motor vehicle which has a transmission input (GW1-A), a transmission output (GW2-A), five planetary gear sets (P1, P2, P3, P4, P5) and six shifting elements (B1, B2, K1, K2, K3, B3). By selectively actuating the six shifting elements (B1, B2, K1, K2, K3, B3), ten forward gears and one reverse gear can be selected between the transmission input (GW1-A) and the transmission output (GW2-A). Further, the drive train is typically incorporated into a motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Stefan Beck, Johannes Kaltenbach, Michael Wechs, Michael Trübenbach, Kai Bornträger, Johannes Glückler, Jens Moraw, Gerhard Niederbrucker, Peter Ziemer
  • Patent number: 10960749
    Abstract: A power-split transmission comprises an electric variator (9) and an electric variator (10) which can be connected, by way of a clutch (8), for forward driving, and a clutch (7), for reverse driving, to the drive output shaft (5) in such manner that the drive output shaft (5) can be purely electrically driven even when the input shaft (2) is static.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Philipp Rechenbach, Stefan Beck, Viktor Warth, Johannes Kaltenbach, Raphael Himmelsbach, Benedikt Reick, Michael Wechs, Jens Moraw, Gerhard Niederbrucker