Patents by Inventor Harald Wendl

Harald Wendl 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: 11858342
    Abstract: An electric-motor-driven rigid axle for vehicles. The axle has a body with wheel carriers and points for attachment to a vehicle frame such that, in a cross-section, an upper end of the body faces the frame and a body axis forms a vertical axis extending toward the upper end and intersecting the wheel axis. The axle has electric motors and offset transmissions. The motors drive respective carriers. The transmissions are respectively interposed between the associated motor and carrier. The transmissions enable the shafts of the respective motors to be offset from the wheel axis. The transmissions are arranged such that, in the cross-sectional view, the motor shafts and the wheel axis form intersection points on an offset line which is at an angle of between 1 and 90 degrees to the vertical axis and the vertex is at an intersection point between the wheel axis and the offset line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Thomas Auer, Sebastian Paulik, Johannes Schweizer, Harald Wendl, Gerhard Obermaier
  • Patent number: 11581784
    Abstract: A heat sink (30) for cooling an electric machine (10), includes: a first part of the heat sink (32) in the form of a hollow cylinder, wherein an inner lateral surface includes a groove (34) extending helically with respect to a central axis of the hollow cylinder; a second part of the heat sink (36) in the form of a hollow cylinder, which includes a radially internal fin (38); and a third part of the heat sink (40) in the form of a hollow cylinder, which includes a connecting section (52), in order to accommodate an output shaft (12) of the machine in a rotationally fixed manner. The second part of the heat sink is accommodated, at least partially, in the first part of the heat sink, so that a radially external surface of the second part of the heat sink rests against the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Martin Lang, Thomas Auer, Sebastian Paulik, Harald Wendl, Gerhard Obermaier, Maria Lang
  • Patent number: 11575297
    Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator (1) and a rotor (2), which are arranged in a housing (3). A liquid cooling jacket is configured for cooling the stator (1). At least one extended surface cooler (10), which is connected to the liquid cooling jacket via a housing wall, is provided in an interior of the housing (3) for direct cooling of components arranged in the interior of the housing (3). Moreover, an axle drive of a vehicle may include the electric machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Martin Lang, Thomas Auer, Sebastian Paulik, Harald Wendl, Gerhard Obermaier, Maria Lang
  • Patent number: 11527939
    Abstract: A cooling arrangement for an electric machine (1, 1a, 1b) includes a rotatably mounted rotor shaft (2). A rotatably mounted hollow shaft (11) is mounted coaxially to the rotor shaft (2) and rotationally fixed to the rotor shaft (2). A hollow shaft inner side (12) is spaced apart from a rotor shaft outer side (5) in a radial direction (R) in order to form an annular gap (14). At least one cooling duct for a cooling lubricant includes a hollow shaft duct (18), a feed duct (20), and an outlet duct (25). The feed duct (20) opens into the hollow shaft duct (18) in order to feed the cooling lubricant to the hollow shaft duct (18). The outlet duct (25) extends from the hollow shaft duct (18) to the annular gap (14) in order to release the cooling lubricant from the hollow shaft duct (18) into the annular gap (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Martin Lang, Thomas Auer, Sebastian Paulik, Harald Wendl, Gerhard Obermaier, Maria Lang
  • Patent number: 11489410
    Abstract: A shaft (12) for cooling an electric machine (10) includes: an outer sub-shaft (32), which is designed for being rotationally fixed to a rotor (14) of the electric machine; an inner sub-shaft (30), which is rotationally fixed to the outer sub-shaft and is designed as an output shaft of the electric machine; an inflow (36) arranged in the radial direction between the outer sub-shaft and the inner sub-shaft, in order to supply cooling fluid (28) to the shaft; and an outflow (42) arranged in the radial direction between the outer sub-shaft and the inner sub-shaft, in order to discharge cooling fluid supplied to the shaft. The outer sub-shaft encloses a fluid chamber (40), which is arranged in the axial direction between the inflow and the outflow. A direction of flow of cooling fluid in the fluid chamber is established by a delivery direction of a fluid pump (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Martin Lang, Thomas Auer, Sebastian Paulik, Harald Wendl, Gerhard Obermaier, Maria Lang
  • Publication number: 20220072951
    Abstract: An electric-motor-driven rigid axle for vehicles. The axle has a body with wheel carriers and points for attachment to a vehicle frame such that, in a cross-section, an upper end of the body faces the frame and a body axis forms a vertical axis extending toward the upper end and intersecting the wheel axis. The axle has electric motors and offset transmissions. The motors drive respective carriers. The transmissions are respectively interposed between the associated motor and carrier. The transmissions enable the shafts of the respective motors to be offset from the wheel axis. The transmissions are arranged such that, in the cross-sectional view, the motor shafts and the wheel axis form intersection points on an offset line which is at an angle of between 1 and 90 degrees to the vertical axis and the vertex is at an intersection point between the wheel axis and the offset line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Thomas AUER, Sebastian PAULIK, Johannes SCHWEIZER, Harald WENDL, Gerhard OBERMAIER
  • Patent number: 11226031
    Abstract: A drive assembly 1 for a vehicle includes a prime mover housing section 2 and a transmission housing section 3. The prime mover housing section 2 encompasses a dry space 4, and the transmission housing section 3 encompasses an oil space 5. The oil space 5 is at least partially filled with an oil 6. A prime mover shaft 10 extends from the dry space 4 into the oil space 5. A partition 7 separates the oil space 5 from the dry space 4. A sealing device 13 seals the prime mover shaft 10 with respect to the partition 7. The sealing device 13 is arranged in the partition 7. A connecting unit 19 provides a fluidic connection between and compensates for pressure differences between the oil space 5 and the dry space 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Sebastian Paulik, Harald Wendl, Matthias Kobler, Andreas Lachhammer
  • Publication number: 20200389067
    Abstract: A heat sink (30) for cooling an electric machine (10), includes: a first part of the heat sink (32) in the form of a hollow cylinder, wherein an inner lateral surface includes a groove (34) extending helically with respect to a central axis of the hollow cylinder; a second part of the heat sink (36) in the form of a hollow cylinder, which includes a radially internal fin (38); and a third part of the heat sink (40) in the form of a hollow cylinder, which includes a connecting section (52), in order to accommodate an output shaft (12) of the machine in a rotationally fixed manner. The second part of the heat sink is accommodated, at least partially, in the first part of the heat sink, so that a radially external surface of the second part of the heat sink rests against the groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: Martin Lang, Thomas Auer, Sebastian Paulik, Harald Wendl, Gerhard Obermaier, Maria Lang
  • Publication number: 20200389073
    Abstract: A shaft (12) for cooling an electric machine (10) includes: an outer sub-shaft (32), which is designed for being rotationally fixed to a rotor (14) of the electric machine; an inner sub-shaft (30), which is rotationally fixed to the outer sub-shaft and is designed as an output shaft of the electric machine; an inflow (36) arranged in the radial direction between the outer sub-shaft and the inner sub-shaft, in order to supply cooling fluid (28) to the shaft; and an outflow (42) arranged in the radial direction between the outer sub-shaft and the inner sub-shaft, in order to discharge cooling fluid supplied to the shaft. The outer sub-shaft encloses a fluid chamber (40), which is arranged in the axial direction between the inflow and the outflow. A direction of flow of cooling fluid in the fluid chamber is established by a delivery direction of a fluid pump (24).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: Martin Lang, Thomas Auer, Sebastian Paulik, Harald Wendl, Gerhard Obermaier, Maria Lang
  • Publication number: 20200373816
    Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator (1) and a rotor (2), which are arranged in a housing (3). A liquid cooling jacket is configured for cooling the stator (1). At least one extended surface cooler (10), which is connected to the liquid cooling jacket via a housing wall, is provided in an interior of the housing (3) for direct cooling of components arranged in the interior of the housing (3). Moreover, an axle drive of a vehicle may include the electric machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Martin Lang, Thomas Auer, Sebastian Paulik, Harald Wendl, Gerhard Obermaier, Maria Lang
  • Publication number: 20200373815
    Abstract: A cooling arrangement for an electric machine (1, 1a, 1b) includes a rotatably mounted rotor shaft (2). A rotatably mounted hollow shaft (11) is mounted coaxially to the rotor shaft (2) and rotationally fixed to the rotor shaft (2). A hollow shaft inner side (12) is spaced apart from a rotor shaft outer side (5) in a radial direction (R) in order to form an annular gap (14). At least one cooling duct for a cooling lubricant includes a hollow shaft duct (18), a feed duct (20), and an outlet duct (25). The feed duct (20) opens into the hollow shaft duct (18) in order to feed the cooling lubricant to the hollow shaft duct (18). The outlet duct (25) extends from the hollow shaft duct (18) to the annular gap (14) in order to release the cooling lubricant from the hollow shaft duct (18) into the annular gap (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Martin Lang, Thomas Auer, Sebastian Paulik, Harald Wendl, Gerhard Obermaier, Maria Lang
  • Publication number: 20190390762
    Abstract: A drive assembly 1 for a vehicle includes a prime mover housing section 2 and a transmission housing section 3. The prime mover housing section 2 encompasses a dry space 4, and the transmission housing section 3 encompasses an oil space 5. The oil space 5 is at least partially filled with an oil 6. A prime mover shaft 10 extends from the dry space 4 into the oil space 5. A partition 7 separates the oil space 5 from the dry space 4. A sealing device 13 seals the prime mover shaft 10 with respect to the partition 7. The sealing device 13 is arranged in the partition 7. A connecting unit 19 provides a fluidic connection between and compensates for pressure differences between the oil space 5 and the dry space 4.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Sebastian Paulik, Harald Wendl, Matthias Kobler, Andreas Lachhammer
  • Patent number: 7527114
    Abstract: An axle with wheel hub drive including an electric motor (3) cooled with cooling fluid is proposed in which an external cooling is incorporated in the wheel heads (2) of the axle (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Harald Wendl, Max Bachmann, Stefan Häuβler
  • Publication number: 20060158024
    Abstract: An axle with wheel hub drive including an electric motor (3) cooled with cooling fluid is proposed in which an external cooling is incorporated in the wheel heads (2) of the axle (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2004
    Publication date: July 20, 2006
    Inventor: Harald Wendl
  • Patent number: 6722459
    Abstract: An axle, preferably for driving a low-platform omnibus, has a bridge (15) arranged at a distance from the wheel axle. The housing (14) of a driving engine (1) is connected with the bridge (15) and with suspension elements (19), on one side of the axle, to secure the axle to the vehicle and, on the other side, with a hub carrier (8) to receive forces of the wheel. The driving engine (1) has a sufficient axial distance from the wheel axle so as to create a space, in a direction opposite to the axial distance, so that a disk brake (11) and portion of the actuation device (12) of the disk brake (11) can be located within the wheel rim.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Harald Wendl, Michael Roske, Max Bachmann
  • Patent number: 6540632
    Abstract: A wheel drive preferably used in a low-platform bus for driving the wheels is driven by a drive motor (1) eccentrically arranged relative to the wheel axle (12) and a gearwheel (2). The driven gearwheel (2) of a reduction gear (3) is in intermeshing connection with two additional gearwheels (6) and one outer central wheel (5) in a manner such that the drive torque is distributed onto the gearwheels (6) and the outer central wheel (5) and the driven gearwheel (2) can be floatingly supported so that a uniform load distribution results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Harald Wendl, Max Bachmann
  • Patent number: 5273499
    Abstract: In a clutch (6) for locking a differential gear for a vehicle, a movable half (60) of the clutch (6) is pushed indirectly via a sliding sleeve (70) and intermediate members (77) in an engaging direction. Then the sliding sleeve (70), with a locking surface (74), retains the intermediate members (77) firmly in a locking position between a bearing surface (64) of the movable half (60) and an axially stationary retaining surface (4). Flanks (52, 62) of clutch teeth (51, 61) of an axially stationary half (50) and of the movable half (60) form in the axle direction a deflection angle (55). The bearing surface (64) and the retaining surface (4) form a wedge angle (65). The locking surface (74) of the sliding sleeve (70) is inclined in an axial direction forming a small releasing angle (75). To open the clutch (6), the sliding sleeve (70) is pulled away. A torque produces through the deflection angle (55) an axial deflection force which then disengages the clutch (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1993
    Assignee: Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Reinhard Friedl, Harald Wendl, Max Schuster