Patents by Inventor Hartmut Graf

Hartmut Graf 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).

  • Publication number: 20250189025
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic-mechanical power transmission device includes: an input shaft; an output shaft; a basic transmission configuration including a hydrodynamic converter and a superimposition transmission, the hydrodynamic converter including a pump impeller and a turbine wheel, the superimposition transmission being formed as a planetary transmission including a ring gear, a first sun gear, and a planet carrier with a plurality of planetary gears, the input shaft being connected to the pump impeller and the ring gear, the turbine wheel being connected to the first sun gear, the output shaft being connected at least indirectly to the planet carrier; and an additional transmission stage, which is arranged in a direction of a power transmission between the superimposition transmission and the output shaft, the additional transmission stage including an input and an output, the input being connected to the planet carrier, the output being connected to or forming the output shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2025
    Publication date: June 12, 2025
    Applicant: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Ludas, Hartmut Graf
  • Patent number: 10876612
    Abstract: A method operates a drive train for driving a working machine with variable rotation speed. The method includes running up the electric drive machine from a standstill with evacuated hydrodynamic rotation speed/torque converter to a predefined value which indirectly characterizes the operating mode of the drive machine. Simultaneously with reaching the predefined value which indirectly characterizes the operating mode of the drive machine or with a temporal offset after reaching this, filling the hydrodynamic rotation speed/torque converter and driving the turbine vane wheel. Thereafter, the third element of the planetary gear mechanism is driven with a rotation speed which results from a superposition, defined by the planetary gear mechanism, of the rotation speed of the first element of the planetary gear mechanism connected to the electric drive machine and the rotation speed of the second element of the planetary gear mechanism which is indirectly connected to the turbine wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Goretzki, Hartmut Graf, Thomas Taeuber
  • Publication number: 20200124153
    Abstract: A power transmission device has a reverse torque converter and a planetary gear mechanism with a ring gear, sun wheel and planet carrier with several planets. An input is connected to an impeller of the reverse torque converter and to a first element of the planetary gear mechanism. A turbine wheel is connected to a second element of the planetary gear mechanism, and a third element of the planetary gear mechanism is connected to or forms an output of the power transmission device. A selectable control clutch transmits power in a first rotation speed range, with an emptied reverse torque converter, between the input and the output of the power transmission device. A device supports and/or fixes the second element of the planetary gear mechanism, in particular the connection between the turbine wheel and the second element of the planetary gear mechanism in this first rotation speed range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventor: HARTMUT GRAF
  • Publication number: 20190346031
    Abstract: A method operates a drive train for driving a working machine with variable rotation speed. The method includes running up the electric drive machine from a standstill with evacuated hydrodynamic rotation speed/torque converter to a predefined value which indirectly characterizes the operating mode of the drive machine. Simultaneously with reaching the predefined value which indirectly characterizes the operating mode of the drive machine or with a temporal offset after reaching this, filling the hydrodynamic rotation speed/torque converter and driving the turbine vane wheel. Thereafter, the third element of the planetary gear mechanism is driven with a rotation speed which results from a superposition, defined by the planetary gear mechanism, of the rotation speed of the first element of the planetary gear mechanism connected to the electric drive machine and the rotation speed of the second element of the planetary gear mechanism which is indirectly connected to the turbine wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Peter GORETZKI, Hartmut GRAF, Thomas TÄUBER
  • Patent number: 10145456
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic converter has a working chamber through which an operating medium can flow. A pump wheel is connected to a drive shaft and a turbine wheel is connected to a driven shaft. At least one positioning blade can be adjusted by an adjustment device. In order to provide a compactly formed and robust hydrodynamic converter of this type, having a hard-wearing adjustment device for adjusting at least one positioning vane, the adjustment device includes an actuating drive with ring elements. Each ring element is disposed coaxially in relation to the drive shaft. A first ring element is connected to the at least one positioning blade for transmitting a positioning force or a positioning torque via a diverting device. The first ring element can be rotated relative to a second ring element in the circumferential direction of the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Schirle, Hartmut Graf
  • Publication number: 20160290460
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic converter has a working chamber through which an operating medium can flow. A pump wheel is connected to a drive shaft and a turbine wheel is connected to a driven shaft. At least one positioning blade can be adjusted by an adjustment device. In order to provide a compactly formed and robust hydrodynamic converter of this type, having a hard-wearing adjustment device for adjusting at least one positioning vane, the adjustment device includes an actuating drive with ring elements. Each ring element is disposed coaxially in relation to the drive shaft. A first ring element is connected to the at least one positioning blade for transmitting a positioning force or a positioning torque via a diverting device. The first ring element can be rotated relative to a second ring element in the circumferential direction of the drive shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Applicant: Voith Patent GMBH
    Inventors: HANS SCHIRLE, HARTMUT GRAF
  • Patent number: 9453567
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for transmitting force from an input shaft (4) connected to a drive assembly (2) having constant speed to an output shaft (6) connected to a working machine (3) having variable speed, comprising: a hydrodynamic transducer (20); and a differential transmission designed as a planetary gear unit (1), comprising a ring gear (12), a sun gear (13) and a planet carrier (14) having a plurality of planets (15) as elements of the planetary gear unit. The invention is characterized in that: the hydrodynamic transducer is designed as a counter-movement transducer; the input shaft is directly connected to a pump impeller (7) of the hydrodynamic transducer and a first element (14) of the planetary gear unit; a turbine wheel (10) of the hydrodynamic transducer is directly connected to a second element (13) of the planetary gear unit, and the output shaft is connected at least indirectly to a third element of the planetary gear unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: VOITH PATENT GMBH
    Inventor: Hartmut Graf
  • Publication number: 20140141916
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for transmitting force from an input shaft (4) connected to a drive assembly (2) having constant speed to an output shaft (6) connected to a working machine (3) having variable speed, comprising: a hydrodynamic transducer (20); and a differential transmission designed as a planetary gear unit (1), comprising a ring gear (12), a sun gear (13) and a planet carrier (14) having a plurality of planets (15) as elements of the planetary gear unit. The invention is characterised in that: the hydrodynamic transducer is designed as a counter-movement transducer; the input shaft is directly connected to a pump impeller (7) of the hydrodynamic transducer and a first element (14) of the planetary gear unit; a turbine wheel (10) of the hydrodynamic transducer is directly connected to a second element (13) of the planetary gear unit, and the output shaft is connected at least indirectly to a third element of the planetary gear unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventor: Hartmut Graf
  • Publication number: 20130133335
    Abstract: The invention relates to a power plant line, comprising a steam turbine and/or gas turbine that rotates at a constant speed in order to drive an electric generator; a variable-speed pump for conveying and/or compressing a working medium in order to drive and/or supply the process of the steam turbine and/or the gas turbine or to pump and/or compress an exhaust gas produced in the process supply or in the gas turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Hartmut Graf, Karl Hilpert
  • Patent number: 8266901
    Abstract: An axial thrust offloading device for axial thrust balance of a machine shaft including a thrust balance ring with a supply channel for a pressurized medium opening into an annular space on the ring's face, first and second side disks disposed axially adjacent to and on opposed sides of the ring and forming first and second pressure chambers closed off on an exit flow inside by a labyrinth seal and on an inlet flow side to a pressurized medium via first and second restrictor locations, and a disk-shaped restrictor element disposed in the annular space, wherein relative axial movement between the ring and the restrictor element provides for reciprocal opening of the first and second restrictor locations to form a pressure difference between the first and second chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Schirle, Hartmut Graf, Michael Rosovits
  • Publication number: 20090074561
    Abstract: The invention concerns an axial thrust offloading device for the axial thrust balance of a machine shaft, including: a thrust balance ring with a supply channel for a pressurised medium therein designed, which opens out into an annular space on the face on the thrust balance ring, a first side disk and a second side disk, which in each case are arranged to be axially adjacent to, and on opposite sides of, the thrust balance ring such that a first pressure chamber and a second pressure chamber are created, wherein the first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber on the exit flow side are in each case closed off by means of a labyrinth seal, and on the inlet flow side a connection in each case exists to the annular space for the inflow of pressurised a medium, via a first restrictor location for the first pressure chamber and a second restrictor location for the second pressure chamber; a disk-shaped restrictor element entering into the annular space; the thrust balance ring and the restrictor elem
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Hans Schirle, Hartmut Graf, Michael Rosovits