Patents by Inventor Helmut Heibel
Helmut Heibel 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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Patent number: 6233932Abstract: A fully hydraulic brake power generator/master cylinder unit (10) for a vehicle brake system has a housing (12) with a bore (14) which is formed therein and in which a primary piston (16) is arranged sealingly and displaceably. Located in the bore (14) is a first pressure chamber (22), one boundary wall of which is formed by one end wall (20) of the primary piston (16). In order to actuate the unit (10), there is an input member (60) which is displaced during actuation. A hydraulic booster stage (38), which has a booster chamber (44) with an inlet for hydraulic fluid under pressure, acts on the primary piston (16). In order to improve the simulation of brake pressure feedback via the input member (60), a spring arrangement (70) is provided, with a first spring (72) and a second spring (74) which are connected in series. The spring force of the second spring (74) is detectably greater than the spring force of the first spring (72).Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2000Date of Patent: May 22, 2001Assignee: Lucas Industries Public Limited CompanyInventors: Helmut Heibel, Josef Knechtges
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Patent number: 6226993Abstract: A fully hydraulic brake booster/master cylinder unit (10) for a vehicle brake system has a housing (12) and a bore (14) which is formed therein and in which is arranged sealingly and displaceably a primary piston (16) which is coupled to an input member (40) for transmitting an actuating force to the primary piston (16). Located in the bore (14) are a first pressure chamber (22), one boundary wall of which is formed by one end wall (20) of the primary piston (16), and a first booster chamber (46), one boundary wall of which is formed by the other end wall (50), located opposite the end wall (20), of the primary piston (16). The first booster chamber (46) has an inlet for hydraulic fluid under pressure which is used for boosting the actuating force. In order to bring about additional brake boosting comfortably and as required, there is arranged in the bore (14) a second booster chamber (48), to which hydraulic fluid under pressure can be supplied independently of the first booster chamber (46).Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2000Date of Patent: May 8, 2001Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited companyInventor: Helmut Heibel
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Patent number: 6099087Abstract: In a braking system in which brake application is controlled electronically by the use of electrically controlled actuators (5, 6), a pedal-operated hydrostatic master cylinder (31) is connected to a brake (12) through at least one of the actuators (5). A first normally open valve (7) is provided so that upon failure of the electronic means (15a, 15b, 60), the value opens to permit hydrostatic pressure to apply both the front wheel brakes (1, 2) by putting them in fluidic communication. A second normally-open isolator valve (44) can be provided which is closed during normal brake operation to prevent hydrostatic pressure from being utilised to apply the brake, the valve opening automatically upon failure of the electronic means (15a, 15b, 60).Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 1999Date of Patent: August 8, 2000Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited companyInventors: Ivan Mortimer, Helmut Heibel
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Patent number: 5772290Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the brake pressure in a vehicle brake system equipped with an electronically adjustable brake booster (10), comprising an actuator (22) which transmits the actuating movement of the brake pedal to a master brake cylinder and has assigned a path limiting element (80) which limits the axial actuating movement of the actuator (22) in that it is received between abutments (90, 92), the apparatus being characterized in that a switch is actuated by the path limiting element (80) together with one of the abutments (90), said switch supplying a signal to the brake booster when the path limiting element (80) abuts the one abutment (90).Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 1996Date of Patent: June 30, 1998Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited companyInventors: Helmut Heibel, Hans-Werner Renn, Erwin Michels, Jens-Peter Kohrt, Werner Dieringer, Kurt Mohr
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Patent number: 5769189Abstract: In order to improve an electrically actuatable automotive parking brake with mechanical emergency actuation, the brake pads (52, 54) of the parking brake, which may be either a disk brake or a drum brake, can be applied or released via gear arrangement (100) arranged within or at the brake. The gear arrangement (100) has one power input and one power output, with the power input being coupled with the one end of a flexible shaft, the other end of which being arranged remote from the brake can be coupled with a manual crank, in order to be able to actuate the parking brake mechanically in the case of a failure of the electric actuation.Type: GrantFiled: February 29, 1996Date of Patent: June 23, 1998Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited companyInventors: Helmut Heibel, Hermann-Josef Geilen, Werner Dieringer
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Patent number: 5658055Abstract: The vehicle brake system including an electronically controlled brake booster (10), comprising a first actuator (350) which is connected to a second actuator (360) for transmitting to the same an actuating movement (P) of a brake pedal, wherein the second actuator (360) transmits the movement to a master brake cylinder, a signal generator (365) disposed between first and second actuators (350, 360) for generating a signal to be supplied to the controller of the brake booster (10), wherein the signal generator (365) is triggered by a relative movement between the first actuator and the housing of the brake booster.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 1995Date of Patent: August 19, 1997Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited companyInventors: Werner Dieringer, Jens-Peter Kohrt, Kurt Mohr, Helmut Heibel, Erwin Michels, Hans-Werner Renn
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Patent number: 5590937Abstract: The invention relates to an electronically controlled vehicle braking system with a brake booster comprising an electromagnetically operable control valve arrangement, an electronic control device supplying the control valve arrangement with control signals for initiating or cancelling an automatic braking sequence, and a load sensor connected with the electronic control device for sensing the pedal actuation force acting upon a brake pedal coupled with the brake booster, characterized in that the electronic control device is adapted to effect a brake pressure relief depending upon a reduction of the pedal actuation force acting on the brake pedal after the initiation of an automatic braking sequence.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 1995Date of Patent: January 7, 1997Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited companyInventor: Helmut Heibel
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Patent number: 5479844Abstract: Two chambers (12, 14) in a booster casing (10) are separated by a movable wall (16) which is connected to a valve housing (22). The housing contains a movable sealing member (60) with which a first valve seat (24), formed in the valve housing (22), and a second valve seat (32), formed on a movable valve closing member (30), are associated. The valve closing member (30) is guided for axial displacement on a piston (42) and designed as the armature of an electromagnet (40) which is arranged inside the valve housing (22) in such a way that, when energized, it moves the valve closing member (30) away from the sealing member (60) against the resistance of a valve spring (38). The piston (42) is guided for axial displacement in the valve housing (22) and serves to transmit actuating forces from an actuator member (44) to an output member (50).Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 1994Date of Patent: January 2, 1996Assignee: Lucas Industries Public Limited CompanyInventors: Helmut Heibel, Josef Pickenhahn
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Patent number: 5427442Abstract: In a motor vehicle brake system, a force increase gradient (Fv ped) at the brake pedal is determined and, in response thereto, the brake pressure is boosted in a manner which provides for successively associating respective threshold values (Fv max) with respective instantaneous force increase gradients (Fv ped) at the brake pedal during a braking operation. The instantaneous actual value of the force increase gradient (Fv ped) is compared with the respective threshold value (Fv max), and the brake pressure booster is controlled in response to the result of this comparison.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 1994Date of Patent: June 27, 1995Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited companyInventor: Helmut Heibel
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Patent number: 5331813Abstract: A brake actuator assembly for motor vehicles. A mounting plate (14) formed with a central hole (60) serves for fastening a pneumatic brake pressure booster (22) to the splashboard (10) of a motor vehicle. The brake pressure booster (22) includes a rear housing portion (50) formed with a rearwardly projecting tubular connecting piece (52) which is pushed from the front through the central hole (60) in the mounting plate (14) and through a central recess (70) presented in a stiffening plate (66) which abuts against the mounting plate (60) from the rear. In this manner the brake pressure booster (22) is centered with respect to the mounting plate (14) and the stiffening plate (66). The stiffening plate (66) is formed in one piece with support blocks (68) for a pedal arrangement (20) of the usual kind in motor vehicles.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 1993Date of Patent: July 26, 1994Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited companyInventors: Helmut Heibel, Josef Pickenhahn
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Patent number: 5178441Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle braking system, comprising a brake pedal (P) to generate brake pressure in an hydraulic fluid, a brake pressure booster (12) operated by differential pressure and adapted to be actuated by a first valve (V.sub.1) which is pressurized mechanically by the brake pedal (P), and a first sensor (S.sub.1) to detect the pressure generated by the brake pedal. A second sensor (S.sub.R, S.sub.L) is provided to detect vehicle deceleration or rotational retardation of braked wheel, and a data processing unit serves to compare the data determined by the sensors (S.sub.1, S.sub.R, S.sub.L) and to generate a control signal in response to the result of the comparison for a second valve (V.sub.2) which is controllable electrically and by which a pressure difference is adjustable in the brake pressure booster (12).Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 1990Date of Patent: January 12, 1993Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited companyInventors: Helmut Heibel, Josef Pickenhahn
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Patent number: 5080203Abstract: In a spot-type disc brake guides are arranged between each of the arms of a brake support and the sliding caliper to permit displacement of the sliding caliper and the transmission of braking forces to the brake support. The guides each have a guide body comprising a groove extending in the direction of the axis of rotation of the brake disc as well as a projection engaging into said groove. To enable exceptionally high braking forces also to be transmitted by the caliper via the guides to the brake support, the groove and the projection of each guide, which upon braking in the operational direction of rotation of the brake disc is loaded with braking forces, have complementary circularly arcuate profiles in cross-section parallel to the brake disc.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 1990Date of Patent: January 14, 1992Assignee: Lucas Industries Public Limited CompanyInventor: Helmut Heibel
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Patent number: 5072996Abstract: The assembly includes a master brake cylinder (10) to which at least one brake circuit can be connected, a modulator (12) and a pneumatic braking force booster (14). For modulating the pressure in the brake circuit the modulator (12) is connected to the master brake cylinder (10). The braking force booster (14) comprises a housing (34, 36) having at least one partition (38) movable in piston-like manner. For transmitting reaction forces of the master brake cylinder (10) to a vehicle wall (20) at least one connecting pin (16, 18) extends through the housing (34, 36) of the braking force booster (14). The modulator (12) is likewise mounted with bypassing of the master brake cylinder (10) on at least one connecting pin (16, 18) which extends through the housing (34, 36) of the braking force booster (14). This avoids vibrations generated by the modulator (12) being transmitted directly to the master brake cylinder (10) and possibly damaging the latter in the course of time.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 1990Date of Patent: December 17, 1991Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited companyInventors: Helmut Heibel, Leo Gilles
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Patent number: 5022717Abstract: A valve block (10) includes fluid passages (12), valves (14), and connections (30,32,34) for fluid operated devices. Electromagnets (36) are attached to the valve block (10) for actuating the valves (14). A hood (40) covering the electromagnets (36) is placed on the valve block (10). An external plug group (42) is arranged at the hood (40) and comprises plugs (44) which are accessible from outside and serve for connection to sensors and the like. A second plug group (46) including plugs (48) is arranged within the hood (40), the plugs thereof being connected to the plugs (44) of the external plug group (42). A third plug group (50) including plugs (52) is arranged at the valve block (10), the plugs thereof being adapted for connection to the plugs (48) of the second plug group (46) by donning of the hood (40). The electromagnets (36) are connected to the plugs (52) of the third plug group (50) by a conductor arrangement (56). The hood (40) encloses a space (53) in which electronic components are received.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 1989Date of Patent: June 11, 1991Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited companyInventors: Helmut Heibel, Leo Gilles
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Patent number: 4966530Abstract: An hydraulic pump and motor assembly for a vehicle hydraulic system has a housing accommodating the pump and motor, the pump having one or more spring-loaded pistons working in complementary bores to pump hydaulic fluid from a reservoir port to a delivery port, and the pistons being operated from an eccentric on a rotary output shaft of the motor through a cam bearing assembly. The assembly includes a retaining device for the pistons to limit their radially inwards movement, when the motor output shaft is removed, to an amount which is insufficient to break the hydraulic circuit containing the pistons. This enables the motor to be removed, while ensuring that the pistons are retained in their bores so that the hydraulic circuit remains intact. The cam bearing assembly may be mounted on the shaft without being retained on it, with the engagement between the pistons and the cam bearing assembly arranged so that they are all retained in the housing on withdrawal of the output shaft.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 1989Date of Patent: October 30, 1990Assignee: 501 Lucas Industries Public Ltd. CompanyInventors: Redmond McCusker, Helmut Heibel, Leo Gilles
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Patent number: 4852700Abstract: On a brake support (12) engaging over a brake disk (10) a piston (34) is supported and on the other side a floating caliper (14) is supported for axial displacement. In both cases slide guides (40) are provided for the supporting and each have a guide body (42) having a groove (46) parallel to the axis (A) of the brake disk (10) and a threaded pin (48) which extends transversely of the axial center plane (B) of the brake and engages into the associated groove (46). The slide guides (40) are surrounded in each case by a resilient sealing sleeve (54) which is protected by a heat shield (66) arranged between it and the brake disk (10). Associated with the threaded pins (48) are anti-rotation locks for securing the pins against turning and which comprise mounting members (56) secured to the brake support (12). The mounting members (56) carry at the same time the heat shields (66).Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 1988Date of Patent: August 1, 1989Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited companyInventor: Helmut Heibel
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Patent number: 4775033Abstract: A floating caliper of a spot-type disc brake supported for displacement with respect to a carrier member which is fixed to a vehicle and includes two brake pads for pressurizing the brake disc from either side. A hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly in the floating caliper directly pressurizes one of the pads and indirectly pressurizes the other pad by way of the floating caliper, with a sliding guide being provided between the carrier member and the floating caliper wherein one of the pads is supported circumferentially exclusively on the floating caliper and the other pad is exclusively supported on the piston of the piston and cylinder assembly, another sliding guide being provided on the carrier member for engagement by the piston.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 1987Date of Patent: October 4, 1988Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited companyInventor: Helmut Heibel
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Patent number: 4768631Abstract: A drum brake comprises two brake shoes (4,5) which are operable hydraulically and/or mechanically. A first brake shoe (4) is supported trailingly in forward travelling direction and leadingly in backward travelling direction. In the forward travelling direction both brake shoes (4,5) are supported trailingly so as to obtain soft response behavior. And a lever (7) is supported at the second brake shoe (5), having one arm pressurized by the piston (2) of the wheel brake cylinder (1), while the other arm (7b) acts directly or indirectly on the first brake shoe (4).Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 1986Date of Patent: September 6, 1988Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited companyInventor: Helmut Heibel
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Patent number: 4732242Abstract: A brake carrier (12) straddling the edge of a brake disc (10) guides two brake pads (24,26) disposed at one side each of the brake disc (10). The brake comprises an actuator (22) having an actuating axis (B) defining a radial center plane (C) together with the axis (A) of the brake disc. Two guide bolts (18,20) are arranged at the brake carrier (12) at least approximately parallel to the axis (A) of the brake disc at that side of the center plane (C) which is the trailing side, based on the direction of rotation (D) of the brake disc (10) during forward travelling. A caliper (16) is guided for displacement at the brake carrier (12) by means of the guide bolts (18,20). The actuator (22) acts directly on the one brake pad (24) and by way of the caliper (16) on the other brake pad (26). The brake carrier (12) has guide faces (34,36) for the brake pads (24,26) effective upon braking during forward travelling at the trailing side only.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 1986Date of Patent: March 22, 1988Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited companyInventor: Helmut Heibel
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Patent number: 4589527Abstract: A strut (40), whose effective length depends on the relative positions of two strut portions (42,44) adjustable with respect to each other is connected in parallel with a brake actuating mechanism (18). One strut portion (44) has at least one part adjustable transversely of the longitudinal direction of the strut (40) and upon actuation of the brake tends to increase the length of the strut (40). This strut portion (44) has an operable connection with an intermediate member (24) which is supported on one of two structural members (128, 136) transmitting the actuating force independently of the strut (40) for rotation around the axis (B) of the brake actuating device (18) and is rotatable against the frictional resistance thereof only as long as this does not surpass a given value. In this way, the strut (40) is prevented from unnecessary or over-adjustment upon particularly forceful actuation of the brake.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 1983Date of Patent: May 20, 1986Assignee: Lucas Industries public limited companyInventors: Ulrich W. Danne, Helmut Heibel