Patents by Inventor Horst Häfele

Horst Häfele 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: 20220402549
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heavy-load vehicle comprising at least two partial vehicles, namely a frontmost partial vehicle and a rearmost partial vehicle, said frontmost partial vehicle having connecting means, and said rearmost partial vehicle having counter-connecting means adapted and configured for cooperating with said connecting means, one of said connecting means and said counter-connecting means including an inner telescopic member guided in a hollow outer telescopic member in a telescoping manner. According to the invention said hollow outer telescopic member is integrally formed by a tubular or box-shaped central part of a partial vehicle frame of one of the partial vehicles, said hollow outer telescopic member and said inner telescopic member cooperating therewith being parts of the same partial vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Applicant: GOLDHOFER AG
    Inventor: Horst HÄFELE
  • Publication number: 20220169309
    Abstract: A heavy-duty vehicle, comprising a steering unit mounted on a vehicle frame of the heavy-duty vehicle, wherein the steering unit is rotatable about an axis of rotation of the steering unit. The heavy-duty vehicle comprises a steering input element connected to the steering unit and configured to cause the steering unit to rotate about the axis of rotation of the steering unit. The steering unit has at least one connecting portion configured to be connected to one or more of a steering device of the heavy-duty vehicle or the steering input element of the heavy-duty vehicle. The steering unit comprises at least one actuating unit configured to change a distance of at least one connecting portion relative to the axis of rotation of the steering unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Applicant: GOLDHOFER AG
    Inventor: Horst HÄFELE
  • Patent number: 11345208
    Abstract: The invention relates to an axle assembly and a heavy-duty vehicle having such an axle assembly, which comprises a pivot bearing having a substantially vertically extending steering axis of rotation, a bogie rotatably arranged about the steering axis of rotation, a rocker mounted on the bogie so as to be pivotable about a substantially horizontal pivot axis, a wheel carrier operatively connected to the rocker having at least one wheel rotatably mounted thereon about a wheel axis of rotation, the wheel axis of rotation extending substantially horizontally and, when driving straight ahead, substantially transversely to the direction of travel, and a pneumatically actuatable power device, which is arranged between the rocker and the bogie.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: GOLDHOFER AG
    Inventors: Horst Häfele, Felix Merkel
  • Publication number: 20220080781
    Abstract: The invention relates to a heavy-load vehicle comprising at least one axle unit, the or each axle unit having at least one wheel, each wheel having at least one tire, at least one tire being a tubeless radial tire. The tubeless radial tire has an outer diameter of less than 755 millimeters (mm), and is adapted and configured for an internal pressure of at least 10 bar. In some instances, when used as a single tire, the tubeless radial tire has a load-bearing capacity per millimeter section width at a speed of 60 kilometers per hour (km/h) of at least 11 kilograms (kg).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2019
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Applicant: GOLDHOFER AG
    Inventors: Johan KOSTER, Horst HÄFELE
  • Patent number: 11235632
    Abstract: The invention relates to an axle assembly of a heavy goods vehicle, comprising a pivot bearing steering rotational axis (X), a wheel support comprising at least one wheel that is mounted thereon so as to be rotatable about a wheel rotational axis (Z), the wheel rotational axis (Z) being arranged behind the steering rotational axis (X), in the travel direction (V), in every deflection state of the axle assembly, during straight travel, and a unit that is adjustable about the steering rotational axis (X) when the wheel support is rotated, the adjustable unit being adjustable between two operating states, specifically a forwards travel operating state in which it damps the rotational movement of the wheel support about the steering rotational axis (X), and a reverse travel operating state in which it introduces a steering force, which steers the axle assembly, into the axle assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: GOLDHOFER AG
    Inventors: Georg Maier, Martin Völk, Simon Steinmayer, Horst Häfele
  • Publication number: 20200384819
    Abstract: The invention relates to an axle assembly of a heavy goods vehicle, comprising a pivot bearing steering rotational axis (X), a wheel support comprising at least one wheel that is mounted thereon so as to be rotatable about a wheel rotational axis (Z), the wheel rotational axis (Z) being arranged behind the steering rotational axis (X), in the travel direction (V), in every deflection state of the axle assembly, during straight travel, and a unit that is adjustable about the steering rotational axis (X) when the wheel support is rotated, the adjustable unit being adjustable between two operating states, specifically a forwards travel operating state in which it damps the rotational movement of the wheel support about the steering rotational axis (X), and a reverse travel operating state in which it introduces a steering force, which steers the axle assembly, into the axle assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Applicant: GOLDHOFER AG
    Inventors: Georg MAIER, Martin VÖLK, Simon STEINMAYER, Horst HÄFELE
  • Publication number: 20200282792
    Abstract: The invention relates to an axle assembly and a heavy-duty vehicle having such an axle assembly, which comprises a pivot bearing having a substantially vertically extending steering axis of rotation, a bogie rotatably arranged about the steering axis of rotation, a rocker mounted on the bogie so as to be pivotable about a substantially horizontal pivot axis, a wheel carrier operatively connected to the rocker having at least one wheel rotatably mounted thereon about a wheel axis of rotation, the wheel axis of rotation extending substantially horizontally and, when driving straight ahead, substantially transversely to the direction of travel, and a pneumatically actuatable power device, which is arranged between the rocker and the bogie.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Applicant: GOLDHOFER AG
    Inventors: Horst HÄFELE, Felix MERKEL
  • Patent number: 10145369
    Abstract: A power supply unit, which supplies hydraulic drive motors of a heavy goods vehicle with hydraulic fluid, includes a frame with first connecting elements for operationally fixed mechanical connection to the heavy goods vehicle and second connecting elements for operationally fixed mechanical connection to a further functional unit, a hydraulic pump, which is attached to the frame, can be driven by an assigned electric motor and during operation feeds hydraulic fluid to drive the hydraulic drive motors, and a battery pack, which is attached to the frame and supplies the electric motor with electrical drive power. The hydraulic pump and electric motor are configured in such a way that the hydraulic pump can be operated as a hydraulic motor and the electric motor can be operated as an electric generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Goldhofer AG
    Inventors: Horst Häfele, Gabor Pfarr
  • Publication number: 20180149146
    Abstract: A power supply unit, which supplies hydraulic drive motors of a heavy goods vehicle with hydraulic fluid, includes a frame with first connecting elements for operationally fixed mechanical connection to the heavy goods vehicle and second connecting elements for operationally fixed mechanical connection to a further functional unit, a hydraulic pump, which is attached to the frame, can be driven by an assigned electric motor and during operation feeds hydraulic fluid to drive the hydraulic drive motors, and a battery pack, which is attached to the frame and supplies the electric motor with electrical drive power. The hydraulic pump and electric motor are configured in such a way that the hydraulic pump can be operated as a hydraulic motor and the electric motor can be operated as an electric generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Horst Häfele, Gabor Pfarr
  • Patent number: 9931889
    Abstract: A heavy goods vehicle (10) having a vehicle frame (12) and at least one driving axis (A), which has on either longitudinal side (10a) of the vehicle (10) a bogie (22) comprising a wheel assembly (14), each wheel assembly (14) comprising at least two wheels arranged symmetrically in relation to a central axis (S), and a wheel suspension (18) by means of which said wheel assembly is fastened to a rotary plate (28) of the bogie (22), this rotary plate (28) being mounted on a rotary bearing (24) of the bogie (22) which is engaged with the vehicle frame (12) so as to be rotatable about a steering swivel axis (X). According to the invention, the rotary bearing (24) of the bogie (22) can be adjusted in the width direction (B) of the vehicle relative to the vehicle frame (12) and can be detachably connected to the vehicle frame (12) in an operationally stable manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: GOLDHOFER AG
    Inventors: Felix Merkel, Horst Haefele
  • Patent number: 9849927
    Abstract: A modular heavy goods vehicle (10) comprises a left vehicle module (12) and a differently designed right vehicle module (14), each of which includes a longitudinal frame part (20, 24) and at least two wheel subassemblies (22, 26), and two transverse frame modules (16, 18) which extend in the direction of the width (B) of the vehicle and the free ends of which are releasably connected to the longitudinal frame parts (20, 24), the length of the transverse frame modules being adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: GOLDHOFER AG
    Inventor: Horst Haefele
  • Publication number: 20170050692
    Abstract: A modular heavy goods vehicle (10) comprises a left vehicle module (12) and a differently designed right vehicle module (14), each of which includes a longitudinal frame part (20, 24) and at least two wheel subassemblies (22, 26), and two transverse frame modules (16, 18) which extend in the direction of the width (B) of the vehicle and the free ends of which are releasably connected to the longitudinal frame parts (20, 24), the length of the transverse frame modules being adjustable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Applicant: GOLDHOFER AG
    Inventor: Horst HAEFELE
  • Publication number: 20170043622
    Abstract: A heavy goods vehicle (10) having a vehicle frame (12) and at least one driving axis (A), which has on either longitudinal side (10a) of the vehicle (10) a bogie (22) comprising a wheel assembly (14), each wheel assembly (14) comprising at least two wheels arranged symmetrically in relation to a central axis (S), and a wheel suspension (18) by means of which said wheel assembly is fastened to a rotary plate (28) of the bogie (22), this rotary plate (28) being mounted on a rotary bearing (24) of the bogie (22) which is engaged with the vehicle frame (12) so as to be rotatable about a steering swivel axis (X). According to the invention, the rotary bearing (24) of the bogie (22) can be adjusted in the width direction (B) of the vehicle relative to the vehicle frame (12) and can be detachably connected to the vehicle frame (12) in an operationally stable manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Applicant: GOLDHOFER AG
    Inventors: Felix MERKEL, Horst HAEFELE