Patents by Inventor Holger Kirchner

Holger Kirchner 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: 20060196740
    Abstract: A piston-cylinder unit for installing between a vehicle body and an axle includes a cylinder filled with damping medium, a piston dividing the cylinder into working spaces, and a piston rod. A first damping valve assembly in the piston damps movement of the piston in tension and in compression. A load dependent valve includes a valve body which can be moved axially by pressure in the damping medium, the valve body having axially opposed first and second actuation surfaces. The first actuation surface is exposed to pressure of a first accumulator, which is connected to one of the working spaces, and the second actuation surface is exposed to pressure of a second accumulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2006
    Publication date: September 7, 2006
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Holger Kirchner, Norbert Ackermann
  • Patent number: 6494441
    Abstract: A self-pumping hydropneumatic spring strut with internal leveling for motor vehicles includes a working cylinder filled with damping medium. The working cylinder is under the pressure of at least one gas cushion arranged in a high-pressure chamber and acting as a spring. A piston divides the working cylinder into two working spaces and is connected to a hollow piston rod. Valves are arranged on the piston so that the two working spaces are in communiction through the valves. A piston pump is driven by the spring movements and pumps oil out of a low-pressure chamber into the working space connected to the high-pressure chamber and comprises a pump space formed by the hollow piston rod, a pump rod connected to the working cylinder. A further pressure generator acts upon the damping medium in the high-pressure chamber and/or the working space connected to the high-pressure space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesman Sachs AG
    Inventors: Hubert Beck, Bernd Wilms, Holger Kirchner
  • Publication number: 20020030311
    Abstract: A self-pumping hydropneumatic spring strut with internal leveling for motor vehicles includes a working cylinder filled with damping medium. The working cylinder is under the pressure of at least one gas cushion arranged in a high-pressure chamber and acting as a spring. A piston divides the working cylinder into two working spaces and is connected to a hollow piston rod. Valves are arranged on the piston so that the two working spaces are in communiction through the valves. A piston pump is driven by the spring movements and pumps oil out of a low-pressure chamber into the working space connected to the high-pressure chamber and comprises a pump space formed by the hollow piston rod, a pump rod connected to the working cylinder. A further pressure generator acts upon the damping medium in the high-pressure chamber and/or the working space connected to the high-pressure space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 1999
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Applicant: COHEN PONTANI LIEBERMAN & PAVANE
    Inventors: HUBERT BECK, BERND WILMS, HOLGER KIRCHNER
  • Patent number: 6276498
    Abstract: A piston for a piston/cylinder assembly is fastened to a piston rod and axially movably arranged in a working cylinder filled with damping medium. The piston having damping valves for the tension and compression movements of the piston in the cylinder and having a first and second group of passage ducts respectively for the tension and compression directions. The outlet sides of each of the first and second passage ducts open into a control edge covered by valve disks. The first and second passage ducts run axially parallel over at least part of their length, wherein the inlet and outlet regions of each of the first and second passage ducts being arranged axially one behind the other and one of the first and second groups of passage ducts emerges on the end face and the other of the first and second groups of passage ducts emerges radially outward on each side of the working piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Holger Kirchner
  • Patent number: 6202993
    Abstract: Self-pumping hydropneumatic shock strut with internal level regulation for motor vehicles with a work cylinder which is filled with oil and acted upon by pressure by at least one gas cushion arranged in a high-pressure chamber which acts as a spring. The work cylinder is divided into two work spaces by a work piston carried by a hollow piston rod. The work piston has a piston pump which is driven by the spring movements and delivers oil from a low-pressure chamber in the work space connected with the high-pressure chamber. The pump cylinder of the piston pump is formed by the hollow piston rod. A hollow pump rod which is fastened to the work cylinder and carries a suction valve at its front end penetrates into the piston rod and the bore of the hollow pump rod is connected with the low-pressure chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Bernd Wilms, Holger Kirchner, Achim Meier
  • Patent number: 6109400
    Abstract: An impact absorber for decelerating a vehicle during a collision with an obstacle by hydraulic damping forces and pneumatic spring forces includes two tubes that are telescopically displaceable one inside the other. An internal tube of the two tubes is closed off to the outside by a base. A gas space subjected to high pressure is disposed adjacent said base and interacts with a first liquid space via a separating piston which is axially guided in the internal tube in a sealed manner. The first liquid space is hydraulically connected to a second liquid space via a throttle opening through an intermediate wall attached inside the internal tube. A working piston attached to a piston rod is guided in the internal tube in a sealing manner and interacts via the piston rod with a third liquid space in an external one of the two tubes. A control which can be connected to two chambers is provided to extend the impact absorber or to return it to a normal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Boge GmbH
    Inventors: Metin Ayyildiz, Holger Kirchner
  • Patent number: 6019356
    Abstract: An impact absorber for decelerating a vehicle impacting on an obstacle, which impact absorber includes two tubes which can be displaced one inside the other in the manner of a telescope. The inner tube is closed off from the outside by a base and has a highly pressurized gas space and a first fluid space. A second fluid space is arranged in the outer tube and is hydraulically connected to the first fluid space via a restriction formed by a restricting aperture in an intermediate wall fixed in the inner tube. The outer tube has, in the end region, a plastic disk which melts at a predetermined temperature and as a result counteracts an explosion of the impact absorber in the event of a fire by reducing the pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Boge GmbH
    Inventors: Metin Ayyildiz, Holger Kirchner, Jorg Schmitz
  • Patent number: 5443146
    Abstract: An impact-absorbing shock absorber with two telescoping tubes, in particular for motor vehicles, for decelerating, as a result of hydraulic damping forces and pneumatic spring forces, a vehicle which collides with an obstacle, has an inner tube closed by a bottom, a gas chamber adjacent to the bottom and containing a gas cushion at high pressure, a separating piston guided in a sealed manner so that it can move inside the inner tube, a first fluid chamber, a partition which has throttle openings, and a second fluid chamber which is connected via the throttle openings of the partition to the first fluid chamber. Above a defined energy absorption threshold, the partition is can be displaced from its original installed position toward the gas chamber, with an accompanying change in the shape of the inner tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AG
    Inventors: Metin Ayyildiz, Holger Kirchner
  • Patent number: 5285877
    Abstract: Impact damper for motor vehicles, the impact damper having two tubes which can be pushed one inside the other, the inner tube consisting of a first and second fluid chamber and a gas chamber separated from the first fluid chamber by a separating piston. A third fluid chamber, separated from the second fluid chamber by a work piston can extend the tubes relative to one another by changing the pressure within the fluid chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Assignee: Boge Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hartmut Bonenberger, Holger Kirchner, Kurt Wagner
  • Patent number: 5242157
    Abstract: Impact damper for motor vehicles, the impact damper having two tubes which can be pushed one inside the other, the inner tube having a first and second fluid chamber and a gas chamber separated from the fluid chamber by a separating piston. A third fluid chamber is located behind a work piston and the tubes can be retracted or extended by changing the pressure within the fluid chambers of the impact damper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1993
    Assignee: Boge Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hartmut Bonenberger, Holger Kirchner, Kurt Wagner