Patents by Inventor Gerold Schultheiss
Gerold Schultheiss 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: 11137037Abstract: A fluid friction clutch may include a rotatably mounted shaft, a drive disk arranged on the shaft in a rotationally fixed manner, a driven body rotatably arranged on the shaft, and a ring-shaped transfer region disposed between the drive disk and the driven body. The transfer region may be configured to receive a viscous fluid via which the drive disk is couplable to the driven body for transferring a torque. The transfer region may be defined by a ring-shaped first groove profile of the drive disk and a ring-shaped second groove profile of the driven body that engage one another axially. The clutch may also include a storage chamber fluidically connected to the transfer region via an inflow path and via a return path. The return path may include a first retaining body and a second retaining body arranged radially offset relative to one another by an arc angle.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2020Date of Patent: October 5, 2021Inventors: Jens Langenstein, Gerold Schultheiss
-
Patent number: 11125280Abstract: A hydrodynamic friction clutch may include a rotatably mounted shaft, a drive disc non-rotatably fixed on the shaft, and an output body rotatably fixed on the shaft. The drive disc may include a radially extending annular transmission region for receiving a viscous fluid and via which the drive disc may be couplable to the output body for transmitting a torque, and an annular segment-shaped storage chamber for receiving the viscous fluid. The transmission region may be fluidically connected to the storage chamber via an inlet path and a drainage path. In the inlet path, a closable valve opening for controlling the quantity of the viscous fluid in the transmission region may be provided. The inlet path may include an annular segment-shaped communication passage, which may fluidically connect the storage chamber to the valve opening. The drainage path may fluidically connect to the inlet path at the valve opening.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2019Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Inventors: Jochen Draeger, Jens Langenstein, Gerold Schultheiss, Rudolf Stoklossa
-
Publication number: 20200284306Abstract: A fluid friction clutch may include a rotatably mounted shaft, a drive disk arranged on the shaft in a rotationally fixed manner, a driven body rotatably arranged on the shaft, and a ring-shaped transfer region disposed between the drive disk and the driven body. The transfer region may be configured to receive a viscous fluid via which the drive disk is couplable to the driven body for transferring a torque. The transfer region may be defined by a ring-shaped first groove profile of the drive disk and a ring-shaped second groove profile of the driven body that engage one another axially. The clutch may also include a storage chamber fluidically connected to the transfer region via an inflow path and via a return path. The return path may include a first retaining body and a second retaining body arranged radially offset relative to one another by an arc angle.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2020Publication date: September 10, 2020Inventors: Jens Langenstein, Gerold Schultheiss
-
Publication number: 20200096056Abstract: A hydrodynamic friction clutch may include a rotatably mounted shaft, a drive disc non-rotatably fixed on the shaft, and an output body rotatably fixed on the shaft. The drive disc may include a radially extending annular transmission region for receiving a viscous fluid and via which the drive disc may be couplable to the output body for transmitting a torque, and an annular segment-shaped storage chamber for receiving the viscous fluid. The transmission region may be fluidically connected to the storage chamber via an inlet path and a drainage path. In the inlet path, a closable valve opening for controlling the quantity of the viscous fluid in the transmission region may be provided. The inlet path may include an annular segment-shaped communication passage, which may fluidically connect the storage chamber to the valve opening. The drainage path may fluidically connect to the inlet path at the valve opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2019Publication date: March 26, 2020Inventors: Jochen Draeger, Jens Langenstein, Gerold Schultheiss, Rudolf Stoklossa
-
Patent number: 8636127Abstract: The invention relates to a fan drive device (1) for driving at least one fan impeller (2), comprising at least one first drivable coolable housing element (9, 10) with at least one output disc (13) which can be connected to the at least one drivable coolable housing element (9, 10) in such a way as to be capable of transmitting torque by fluid friction, wherein at least one fluid can be admitted to at least one torque-transmitting space, and the mass flow of said fluid can be regulated by means of a valve element (30), wherein the valve element (30) can be actuated by at least one actuator (26, 27), and at least a section of the actuator (26, 27) is arranged in at least one retaining element (33) for fastening to a motor unit.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2007Date of Patent: January 28, 2014Assignee: BEHR GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Gerold Schultheiss, Rudolf Stoklossa, Roman Woiterski
-
Patent number: 8408371Abstract: A fan clutch is provided to which a fan may be removably attached with the aid of a flange ring, the fan clutch having a housing that comprises a first front housing part and a second rear housing part to which the flange ring is attachable with the aid of connecting elements. The housing has circumferential attachment niches which are situated in an offset manner in the circumferential direction on both the front and the back of the housing and into which attachment tabs situated on the flange ring are insertable either from the front of the fan clutch or from the rear thereof.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2009Date of Patent: April 2, 2013Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Gerold Schultheiss, Joerg Angermaier, Eberhard Sixt, Sven Setzer
-
Patent number: 7886886Abstract: A viscous friction clutch for driving a cooling fan in a motor vehicle is disclosed, wherein the viscous friction clutch comprises a driving disk and a housing, a supply chamber and a working chamber, a device for supplying shear fluid from the supply chamber to the working chamber and a device for returning the shear fluid from the working chamber to the supply chamber.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2008Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Gerold Schultheiss, Rudolf Stoklossa
-
Patent number: 7828529Abstract: A regulatable drive for a motor vehicle, in particular for a water pump in a motor vehicle, has a rotatably mounted shaft, on which is located a rotatably mounted drive member and a rotationally fixed driven member. Between the drive member and driven member, a coupling region is defined, which can receive a viscous fluid for selectively coupling the drive member and driven member. The regulatable drive includes at least one first and at least one second flow path, which connect a fluid storage space to the coupling region, and it has a device which can be varied in its position by means of at least one actuator and which varies at least one passage orifice of at least one of the flow paths.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2005Date of Patent: November 9, 2010Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Roland Baumgartner, Ralf Maus, Gerold Schultheiss
-
Publication number: 20100018826Abstract: A fan clutch is provided to which a fan may be removably attached with the aid of a flange ring, the fan clutch having a housing that comprises a first front housing part and a second rear housing part to which the flange ring is attachable with the aid of connecting elements (8). The housing has circumferential attachment niches which are situated in an offset manner in the circumferential direction on both the front and the back of the housing and into which attachment tabs situated on the flange ring are insertable either from the from of the fan clutch or from the rear thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2009Publication date: January 28, 2010Inventors: Gerold SCHULTHEISS, Joerg ANGERMAIER, Eberhard SIXT, Sven SETZER
-
Publication number: 20090064946Abstract: The invention relates to a fan drive device (1) for driving at least one fan impeller (2), comprising at least one first drivable coolable housing element (9, 10) with at least one output disc (13) which can be connected to the at least one drivable coolable housing element (9, 10) in such a way as to be capable of transmitting torque by fluid friction, wherein at least one fluid can be admitted to at least one torque-transmitting space, and the mass flow of said fluid can be regulated by means of a valve element (30), wherein the valve element (30) can be actuated by at least one actuator (26, 27), and at least a section of the actuator (26, 27) is arranged in at least one retaining element (33) for fastening to a motor unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2007Publication date: March 12, 2009Applicant: BEHR GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Gerold Schultheiss, Rudolf Stoklossa, Roman Woiterski
-
Patent number: 7475764Abstract: The invention relates to a device for driving a coolant pump (2) for the coolant circuit of an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle comprising a drive train that encompasses a drive wheel (7), a viscous coupling (11), and a drive shaft (3). The inventive driving device is provided with a second coupling (15) which is embodied as a clutch and can be connected to the drive train parallel to the viscous coupling (11), resulting in increased redundancy and two-step rev control.Type: GrantFiled: July 4, 2003Date of Patent: January 13, 2009Assignee: BEHR GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Gerold Schultheiss, Peter Ambros, Rolf Müller, Rudolf Stoklossa
-
Publication number: 20080257677Abstract: A viscous friction clutch for driving a cooling fan in a motor vehicle is disclosed, wherein the viscous friction clutch comprises a driving pulley and a housing, a supply chamber and a working chamber, a device for supplying shear fluid from the supply chamber to the working chamber and a device for returning the shear fluid from the working chamber to the supply chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2008Publication date: October 23, 2008Applicant: BEHR GMBH & CO. KGInventors: Gerold Schultheiss, Rudolf Stoklossa
-
Patent number: 7246691Abstract: A fluid friction clutch for a motor vehicle fan comprises at least one rotatably mounted shaft, a drive element firmly mounted on the shaft so as to rotate with it and a driven element rotatably mounted about the axis of the shaft. The drive element and driven element form a coupling region, which accommodates a viscous fluid. A fan member is connected to the outer region of the driven element by means of at least one partially plastic or plastic-encapsulated fixing ring arranged concentrically with respect to the axis of rotation.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2005Date of Patent: July 24, 2007Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co. KGInventors: Kuno Lindauer, Gerold Schultheiss, Rudolf Stoklossa
-
Publication number: 20050196297Abstract: A regulatable drive for a motor vehicle, in particular for a water pump in a motor vehicle, has a rotatably mounted shaft, on which is located a rotatably mounted drive member and a rotationally fixed driven member. Between the drive member and driven member, a coupling region is defined, which can receive a viscous fluid for selectively coupling the drive member and driven member. The regulatable drive includes at least one first and at least one second flow path, which connect a fluid storage space to the coupling region, and it has a device which can be varied in its position by means of at least one actuator and which varies at least one passage orifice of at least one of the flow paths.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2005Publication date: September 8, 2005Inventors: Roland Baumgartner, Ralf Maus, Gerold Schultheiss
-
Publication number: 20050189194Abstract: A fluid friction clutch for a motor vehicle fan comprises at least one rotatably mounted shaft, a drive element firmly mounted on the shaft so as to rotate with it and a driven element rotatably mounted about the axis of the shaft. The drive element and driven element form a coupling region, which accommodates a viscous fluid. A fan member is connected to the outer region of the driven element by means of at least one partially plastic or plastic-encapsulated fixing ring arranged concentrically with respect to the axis of rotation.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2005Publication date: September 1, 2005Inventors: Kuno Lindauer, Gerold Schultheiss, Rudolf Stoklossa
-
Patent number: 6935478Abstract: A fluid friction clutch, in particular for a motor vehicle fan, having a rotatably mounted shaft wherein a reservoir for at least largely holding the fluid is provided radially inside an outer periphery of the drive body, and wherein at least one first flow path and at least one second flow path are provided, which are used to connect the reservoir to the coupling area, and wherein the drive body, at the outer periphery, has at least one flow resistance element which is arranged between the at least first flow path and the at least second flow path, and wherein furthermore there is a controllable device for closing and opening at least one of these flow paths.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2003Date of Patent: August 30, 2005Assignee: BEHR GmbH & Co.Inventors: Jochen Dräger, Gerold Schultheiss, Rudolf Stoklossa
-
Publication number: 20050178635Abstract: The invention relates to a device for driving a coolant pump (2) for the coolant circuit of an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle comprising a drive train that encompasses a drive wheel (7), a viscous coupling (11), and a drive shaft (3). The inventive driving device is provided with a second coupling (15) which is embodied as a clutch and can be connected to the drive train parallel to the viscous coupling (11), resulting in increased redundancy and two-step rev control.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 4, 2003Publication date: August 18, 2005Applicant: BEHR GmbH & CO.KGInventors: Gerold Schultheiss, Peter Ambros, Rolf Muller, Rudolf Stoklossa
-
Publication number: 20040168877Abstract: A fluid friction clutch, in particular for a motor vehicle fan, having a rotatably mounted shaft wherein a reservoir for at least largely holding the fluid is provided radially inside an outer periphery of the drive body, and wherein at least one first flow path and at least one second flow path are provided, which are used to connect the reservoir to the coupling area, and wherein the drive body, at the outer periphery, has at least one flow resistance element which is arranged between the at least first flow path and the at least second flow path, and wherein furthermore there is a controllable device for closing and opening at least one of these flow paths.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2003Publication date: September 2, 2004Applicant: BEHR GmbH & CO.Inventors: Jochen Drager, Gerold Schultheiss, Rudolf Stoklossa
-
Patent number: 6079536Abstract: An arrangement for controlling the rotational speed of an output rotational part of a fluid friction coupling is provided. A fan for cooling components of a motor vehicle is coupled with a driving rotational part by way of a shearing fluid whose effective fluid quantity determines the transferrable torque. The arrangement contains an adjusting unit (which can be electrically driven in a timed manner) for the variable adjustment of the effective shearing fluid quantity and contains a temperature controller stage to which the temperature of at least one medium whose temperature can be influenced by the output rotational speed is fed. The invention, the temperature controller stage is followed by a rotational speed controller stage to which, on the input side, the output signal of the temperature controller stage is fed as the dessired rotational output speed as well as the rotational driving speed and which, via of its output signal, drives the shearing fluid quantity adjusting unit of the coupling.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 1998Date of Patent: June 27, 2000Assignees: Behr GmbH & Co., GKR Gesellschaft fuer Fahrzeugklima-regelung mbHInventors: Werner Hummel, Uwe Maier, Horst Singer, Gerold Schultheiss
-
Patent number: 5992594Abstract: Known fluid friction clutches, which are electromagnetically controlled from either an engine side or a driving side, require very strong and space-consuming coils in order to produce magnetic forces which are sufficient to control valve levers which, on the side of the clutch away from the coil, open or close a connection opening between a storage chamber and a working chamber. To address this problem, the magnet coil is placed as close as possible to the clutch housing and, by way of inserted flux guiding rings, achieve a magnetic shunt of the lines of magnetic flux such that the coil does not have to be overdimensioned. The flux guiding rings extend to just in front of an armature of the valve lever and, with small radial air gaps, to the housing of the coil. The rings can otherwise be arranged opposite the rotatable shaft made of a magnetic material. Such clutches are appropriate for use as fan clutches of vehicle engines.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 1998Date of Patent: November 30, 1999Assignee: Behr GmbH & Co.Inventors: Max Herrle, Werner Hummel, Gerold Schultheiss