Patents by Inventor Horst SIGL

Horst SIGL 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).

  • Patent number: 10752054
    Abstract: A vehicle axle includes, an axle gear unit housing and axle tubes adjoining the latter. The axle gear unit housing has an opening which is surrounded by a flange. Threaded blind bore holes extend beyond the thickness of the flange into the region of the wall of the axle gear unit housing which has radially outwardly on the side of the flange facing the axle gear unit housing a wall thickening which extends annularly radially circumferentially along the flange and which is configured in a continuously annular manner or so as to form spot faces partially in the areas of the threaded blind bore holes, wherein a joint flash extends in a central plane along the axle tubes and toward the flange 4 in the region of the axle gear unit housing and at the flange along the radially outer contour of the wall thickening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Manuel Bauer, Paul Lenz, Horst Sigl, Alexander Enderl, Rudolf Neumüller, Daniel Dudek, Stefan Brachmeier, Peter Haselberger, Daniela Wagner, Rainer Hildebrand
  • Publication number: 20200040983
    Abstract: A vehicle axle includes, an axle gear unit housing and axle tubes adjoining the latter. The axle gear unit housing has an opening which is surrounded by a flange. Threaded blind bore holes extend beyond the thickness of the flange into the region of the wall of the axle gear unit housing which has radially outwardly on the side of the flange facing the axle gear unit housing a wall thickening which extends annularly radially circumferentially along the flange and which is configured in a continuously annular manner or so as to form spot faces partially in the areas of the threaded blind bore holes, wherein a joint flash extends in a central plane along the axle tubes and toward the flange 4 in the region of the axle gear unit housing and at the flange along the radially outer contour of the wall thickening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Manuel BAUER, Paul LENZ, Horst SIGL, Alexander ENDERL, Rudolf NEUMÜLLER, Daniel DUDEK, Stefan BRACHMEIER, Peter HASELBERGER, Daniela WAGNER, Rainer HILDEBRAND
  • Patent number: 10532655
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a portal axle for low-slung vehicles, comprising a portal housing 1, 1? into the interior 2 of which is guided proceeding from an axle bracket side a drive shaft 17 on which a drive wheel 3 is arranged so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to it, with intermediate wheels 4 which are rotatably mounted on bearing pins 12 in the portal housing 1, 1? and which can be rotatably driven by the drive wheel 3 and by means of which an output wheel 5 which is arranged in the portal housing 1, 1? on an output shaft so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to it can be rotatably driven, this output wheel 5 projecting into a hub carrier 6 which can be fixedly connected to the portal housing 1, 1?. The drive shaft 17 and the output shaft extend so as to be axially offset, and a brake caliper of a disk brake is arranged radially adjacent to the portal housing 1, 1?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Rudolf Neumüller, Paul Lenz, Manuel Bauer, Stefan Brachmeier, Daniela Wagner, Peter Haselberger, Daniel Dudek, Klaus Alesch, Horst Sigl, Alexander Enderl
  • Patent number: 10179478
    Abstract: An axle assembly for a drive device for the road wheels of a vehicle includes: a stationary housing having a housing interior at least partially filled with a lubricating liquid; axle housings connected to the stationary housing and configured to permit axles of the vehicle to pass towards the road wheels; a venting bore in one of the axle housings configured to allow pressurized air to escape from the stationary housing; and at least one rib sized and positioned in the housing interior of the stationary housing so as to prevent migration of the lubricating liquid out of the venting bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Manuel Bauer, Rudolf Neumüller, Paul Lenz, Peter Haselberger, Horst Sigl, Daniel Dudek, Matthias Kobler, Daniela Wagner, Rainer Hildebrand, Stefan Brachmeier
  • Publication number: 20180372204
    Abstract: A differential bearing arrangement is provided for supporting a differential cage, having a final drive housing, at least one bearing support and at least one fastening screw with a screw head and a cylindrical screw body that is provided with an external thread and fixedly connects the bearing support to the final drive housing. The bearing support has a blind hole with an internal thread and the fastening screw is arranged such that the screw head thereof comes to bear against an outer surface of the final drive housing, and the screw body extends through a through-recess formed in the final drive housing and is at least partially received by the blind hole formed in the bearing support. The internal thread of the blind hole cooperates with the external thread of the fastening screw.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Rainer HILDEBRAND, Paul LENZ, Peter HASELBERGER, Horst SIGL, Manuel BAUER, Stefan BRACHMEIER
  • Publication number: 20180154770
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a portal axle for low-slung vehicles, comprising a portal housing 1, 1? into the interior 2 of which is guided proceeding from an axle bracket side a drive shaft 17 on which a drive wheel 3 is arranged so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to it, with intermediate wheels 4 which are rotatably mounted on bearing pins 12 in the portal housing 1, 1? and which can be rotatably driven by the drive wheel 3 and by means of which an output wheel 5 which is arranged in the portal housing 1, 1? on an output shaft so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to it can be rotatably driven, this output wheel 5 projecting into a hub carrier 6 which can be fixedly connected to the portal housing 1, 1?. The drive shaft 17 and the output shaft extend so as to be axially offset, and a brake caliper of a disk brake is arranged radially adjacent to the portal housing 1, 1?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2016
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Rudolf NEUMÜLLER, Paul LENZ, Manuel BAUER, Stefan BRACHMEIER, Daniela WAGNER, Peter HASELBERGER, Daniel DUDEK, Klaus ALESCH, Horst SIGL, Alexander ENDERL
  • Publication number: 20170080753
    Abstract: An axle assembly for a drive device for the road wheels of a vehicle includes: a stationary housing having a housing interior at least partially filled with a lubricating liquid; axle housings connected to the stationary housing and configured to permit axles of the vehicle to pass towards the road wheels; a venting bore in one of the axle housings configured to allow pressurized air to escape from the stationary housing; and at least one rib sized and positioned in the housing interior of the stationary housing so as to prevent migration of the lubricating liquid out of the venting bore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Manuel BAUER, Rudolf NEUMÜLLER, Paul LENZ, Peter HASELBERGER, Horst SIGL, Daniel DUDEK, Matthias KOBLER, Daniela WAGNER, Rainer HILDEBRAND, Stefan BRACHMEIER
  • Patent number: 9175761
    Abstract: A drive device for the road wheels of a vehicle includes a stationary housing in which a rotatably drivable differential housing having an axle differential gear unit is rotatably mounted by differential bearings, at least one driveshaft being rotatably drivable by the differential housing. At least one driving gear wheel is arranged on the at least one driveshaft so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to the latter. The at least one driving gear wheel meshingly engage by oppositely directed helical teeth with at least one driven gear wheel for driving road wheels of the vehicle and generating axial forces directed toward the center of the axle differential gear unit. At least one thrust bearing arrangement is supported axially with respect to the at least one driveshaft at a radial supporting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Horst Sigl, Paul Lenz, Peter Haselberger, Rudolf Neumüller, Klaus Alesch, Alexander Enderl
  • Patent number: 9169912
    Abstract: A drive device for the road wheels of a vehicle includes a stationary housing in which a rotatably drivable differential housing having an axle differential gear unit is rotatably mounted by differential bearings, at least one driveshaft being rotatably drivable by the differential housing. At least one driving gear wheel is arranged on the at least one driveshaft so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to the latter. The at least one driving gear wheel meshingly engage by oppositely directed helical teeth with at least one driven gear wheel for driving road wheels of the vehicle and generating axial forces directed toward the center of the axle differential gear unit. At least one thrust bearing arrangement is supported axially with respect to the at least one driveshaft at a radial supporting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Horst Sigl, Paul Lenz, Peter Haselberger, Rudolf Neumüller, Klaus Alesch, Alexander Enderl, Daniel Dudek
  • Patent number: 9169911
    Abstract: A drive device for the road wheels of a vehicle includes a stationary housing in which a rotatably drivable differential housing having an axle differential gear unit is rotatably mounted by differential bearings, at least one driveshaft being rotatably drivable by the differential housing. At least one driving gear wheel is arranged on the at least one driveshaft so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to the latter. The at least one driving gear wheel meshingly engage by oppositely directed helical teeth with at least one driven gear wheel for driving road wheels of the vehicle and generating axial forces directed toward the center of the axle differential gear unit. At least one thrust bearing arrangement for supporting these axial forces is in turn supported at a structural component part of the drive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Horst Sigl, Paul Lenz, Peter Haselberger, Rudolf Neumüller, Klaus Alesch, Alexander Enderl
  • Patent number: 9115798
    Abstract: A drive device for the road wheels of a vehicle, with a stationary housing partially filled with a lubricating liquid, and a rotatably drivable driveshaft inserted into the housing interior and with a differential unit having a crown wheel with a differential housing. The crown wheel is rotatably drivable by the driving gear wheel, by means of which crown wheel a plurality of differential gear wheels of the differential unit are rotatably drivable, driven gear wheels being rotatably drivable in turn by these differential gear wheels. The driven gear wheels being drivingly connected in each instance to driven shafts for driving the road wheels of the vehicle. The differential unit is enclosed in the housing interior by a shielding housing, wherein the stationary housing interior is connected to the shielding housing interior via one or more apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Horst Sigl, Paul Lenz
  • Patent number: 9017210
    Abstract: A drive device for road wheels of a vehicle includes: a stationary housing; a rotatably drivable differential housing with an axle differential gear unit, the differential housing being rotatably mounted in the stationary housing by differential bearings; at least one driveshaft rotatably drivable by the rotatably drivable differential housing; at least one driving gear wheel associated with and arranged on the at least one driveshaft, so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to the at least one driveshaft; and at least one driven gear wheel, the at least one driving gear wheel meshingly engaging, by oppositely directed helical teeth, with the at least one driven gear wheel to drive the road wheels of the vehicle and generate axial forces directed toward the center of the axle differential gear unit, and having at least one thrust bearing arrangement configured to support the axial forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Horst Sigl, Paul Lenz, Peter Haselberger, Rudolf Neumüller, Klaus Alesch, Alexander Enderl
  • Publication number: 20140235395
    Abstract: A drive device for the road wheels of a vehicle, with a stationary housing partially filled with a lubricating liquid, and a rotatably drivable driveshaft inserted into the housing interior and with a differential unit having a crown wheel with a differential housing. The crown wheel is rotatably drivable by the driving gear wheel, by means of which crown wheel a plurality of differential gear wheels of the differential unit are rotatably drivable, driven gear wheels being rotatably drivable in turn by these differential gear wheels. The driven gear wheels being drivingly connected in each instance to driven shafts for driving the road wheels of the vehicle. The differential unit is enclosed in the housing interior by a shielding housing, wherein the stationary housing interior is connected to the shielding housing interior via one or more apertures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Inventors: Horst SIGL, Paul LENZ
  • Publication number: 20140206490
    Abstract: A drive device for the road wheels of a vehicle includes a stationary housing in which a rotatably drivable differential housing having an axle differential gear unit is rotatably mounted by differential bearings, at least one driveshaft being rotatably drivable by the differential housing. At least one driving gear wheel is arranged on the at least one driveshaft so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to the latter. The at least one driving gear wheel meshingly engage by oppositely directed helical teeth with at least one driven gear wheel for driving road wheels of the vehicle and generating axial forces directed toward the center of the axle differential gear unit. At least one thrust bearing arrangement for supporting these axial forces is in turn supported at a structural component part of the drive device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Inventors: Horst SIGL, Paul Lenz, Peter Haselberger, Rudolf Neumüller, Klaus Alesch, Alexander Enderl
  • Publication number: 20140206493
    Abstract: A drive device for the road wheels of a vehicle includes a stationary housing in which a rotatably drivable differential housing having an axle differential gear unit is rotatably mounted by differential bearings, at least one driveshaft being rotatably drivable by the differential housing. At least one driving gear wheel is arranged on the at least one driveshaft so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to the latter. The at least one driving gear wheel meshingly engage by oppositely directed helical teeth with at least one driven gear wheel for driving road wheels of the vehicle and generating axial forces directed toward the center of the axle differential gear unit. At least one thrust bearing arrangement is supported axially with respect to the at least one driveshaft at a radial supporting surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Inventors: Horst SIGL, Paul LENZ, Peter HASELBERGER, Rudolf NEUMÜLLER, Klaus ALESCH, ALexander ENDERL, Daniel DUDEK
  • Publication number: 20140206492
    Abstract: A drive device for the road wheels of a vehicle includes a stationary housing in which a rotatably drivable differential housing having an axle differential gear unit is rotatably mounted by differential bearings, at least one driveshaft being rotatably drivable by the differential housing. At least one driving gear wheel is arranged on the at least one driveshaft so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to the latter. The at least one driving gear wheel meshingly engage by oppositely directed helical teeth with at least one driven gear wheel for driving road wheels of the vehicle and generating axial forces directed toward the center of the axle differential gear unit. At least one thrust bearing arrangement is supported axially with respect to the at least one driveshaft at a radial supporting surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Inventors: Horst SIGL, Paul Lenz, Peter Haselberger, Rudolf Neumüller, Klaus Alesch, Alexander Enderl
  • Publication number: 20140206489
    Abstract: A drive device for road wheels of a vehicle includes: a stationary housing; a rotatably drivable differential housing with an axle differential gear unit, the differential housing being rotatably mounted in the stationary housing by differential bearings; at least one driveshaft rotatably drivable by the rotatably drivable differential housing; at least one driving gear wheel associated with and arranged on the at least one driveshaft, so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to the at least one driveshaft; and at least one driven gear wheel, the at least one driving gear wheel meshingly engaging, by oppositely directed helical teeth, with the at least one driven gear wheel to drive the road wheels of the vehicle and generate axial forces directed toward the center of the axle differential gear unit, and having at least one thrust bearing arrangement configured to support the axial forces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Inventors: Horst SIGL, Paul LENZ, Peter HASELBERGER, Rudolf NEUMÜLLER, Klaus ALESCH, Alexander ENDERL
  • Publication number: 20140206491
    Abstract: A drive device for road wheels of a vehicle includes: a stationary housing; a rotatably drivable differential housing with an axle differential gear unit, the differential housing being rotatably mounted in the stationary housing by differential bearings; at least one driveshaft rotatably drivable by the rotatably drivable differential housing; at least one driving gear wheel associated with and arranged on the at least one driveshaft, so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to the at least one driveshaft; and at least one driven gear wheel, the at least one driving gear wheel meshingly engaging, by oppositely directed helical teeth, with the at least one driven gear wheel to drive the road wheels of the vehicle and generate axial forces directed toward the center of the axle differential gear unit, and having at least one thrust bearing arrangement configured to support the axial forces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Inventors: Horst Sigl, Paul Lenz, Peter Haselberger, Rudolf Neumüller, Klaus Alesch, Alexander Enderl