Patents by Inventor Holger Hoppner

Holger Hoppner 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: 20110204881
    Abstract: An arrangement to establish a zero position for a sensor that serves to detect movement between parts of a technical system that are connected by a ball joint. The arrangement comprising a joint housing of the ball joint rigidly connected to a first part of the system, a ball pin rigidly connected to a second part of the system, and a sensor for detecting the movements of the ball pin. At least a first sensor element is disposed on the ball pin and a second sensor element is disposed on a part of the system that is immovable with respect to the joint housing. An axial area of the lateral surface of the ball pin is flattened and positively locks an inner contour of the mounting eye or a disk-shaped element which abuts the mounting eye and is fixed by positively locking with the second part of the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Joachim Spratte, Katharina Matzold, Holger Hoppner
  • Patent number: 7357590
    Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint, for example for use with an articulated support in an automobile, includes an essentially ring-shaped or cup-shaped joint housing and a bearing shell disposed in an interior space of the joint housing. The ball of a ball pin is slidingly received in the bearing shell. The inside contour of the joint housing and the outside contour of the bearing shell are essentially shaped as a truncated cone. The bearing shell can be essentially freely positioned in the joint housing in an axial direction of the ball pin. The position at which the bearing shell is anchored in the joint housing can then be precisely and reproducibly adjusted by way of the truncated conical surfaces. The service life, robustness and quality of ball-and-socket joints can be significantly improved during manufacture, while simplifying their fabrication and reducing their manufacturing cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder GmbH
    Inventors: Holger Höppner, Carsten Schütte
  • Publication number: 20040265046
    Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint, for example for use with an articulated support in an automobile, includes an essentially ring-shaped or cup-shaped joint housing and a bearing shell disposed in an interior space of the joint housing. The ball of a ball pin is slidingly received in the bearing shell. The inside contour of the joint housing and the outside contour of the bearing shell are essentially shaped as a truncated cone. The bearing shell can be essentially freely positioned in the joint housing in an axial direction of the ball pin. The position at which the bearing shell is anchored in the joint housing can then be precisely and reproducibly adjusted by way of the truncated conical surfaces. The service life, robustness and quality of ball-and-socket joints can be significantly improved during manufacture, while simplifying their fabrication and reducing their manufacturing cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Applicant: ZF Lemforder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Holger Hoppner, Carsten Schutte