Patents by Inventor Jürgen Wafzig

Jürgen Wafzig 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: 8727929
    Abstract: A multi-step transmission having a housing accommodating eight shafts and four planetary gearsets (4, 5, 6, 7), and at least six shift elements comprising brakes and clutches which implement different transmission ratios between a drive shaft and output shaft. A carrier of gearset (4) is connected to shaft (14) which can be fixed, via brake (8), to the housing and further is connectable, via a first clutch, to shaft (15) which is coupled to a carrier of gearset (5) and is connectable, via a second clutch, to the drive shaft. A ring gear of gearset (6) is coupled to shaft (16) which can be fixed, via brake (9), to the housing. The drive shaft is additionally coupled to a sun gear of gearset (5). A ring gear of gearset (5) is connected to shaft (17). The gearset (5) is a plus planetary gearset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Stefan Beck, Gerhard Gumpoltsberger, Christian Sibla, Michael Wechs, Juergen Wafzig
  • Patent number: 8663053
    Abstract: A multi-step transmission having a housing which accommodates eight shafts and four planetary gear sets, and at least six shift elements including brakes and clutches which are engaged to implement different ratios between a drive shaft and output shaft. The carrier of gearset (4) is connected to shaft (14) which is connectable, via brake (8), to the housing and, via clutch (11), to shaft (15) which is coupled to the ring gear of gearset (6). The shaft (16) connects the ring gear of gearset (5) to the sun gear of gearset (6) and is couplable, via a clutch (12), to the output shaft. The shaft (17) is connected to the ring gear of gearset (4) and the drive shaft is connectable, via clutch (13), to shaft (14) and is coupled to the carrier of gearset (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Stefan Beck, Gerhard Gumpoltsberger, Christian Sibla, Michael Wechs, Juergen Wafzig
  • Publication number: 20130274059
    Abstract: A multi-step transmission having a housing which accommodates eight shafts and four planetary gear sets, and at least six shift elements including brakes and clutches which are engaged to implement different ratios between a drive shaft and output shaft. The carrier of gearset (4) is connected to shaft (14) which is connectable, via brake (8), to the housing and, via clutch (11), to shaft (15) which is coupled to the ring gear of gearset (6). The shaft (16) connects the ring gear of gearset (5) to the sun gear of gearset (6) and is couplable, via a clutch (12), to the output shaft. The shaft (17) is connected to the ring gear of gearset (4) and the drive shaft is connectable, via clutch (13), to shaft (14) and is coupled to the carrier of gearset (5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Stefan Beck, Gerhard Gumpoltsberger, Christian Sibla, Michael Wechs, Juergen Wafzig
  • Publication number: 20130274060
    Abstract: A multi-step transmission having a housing accommodating eight shafts and four planetary gearsets (4, 5, 6, 7), and at least six shift elements comprising brakes and clutches which implement different transmission ratios between a drive shaft and output shaft. A carrier of gearset (4) is connected to shaft (14) which can be fixed, via brake (8), to the housing and further is connectable, via a first clutch, to shaft (15) which is coupled to a carrier of gearset (5) and is connectable, via a second clutch, to the drive shaft. A ring gear of gearset (6) is coupled to shaft (16) which can be fixed, via brake (9), to the housing. The drive shaft is additionally coupled to a sun gear of gearset (5). A ring gear of gearset (5) is connected to shaft (17). The gearset (5) is a plus planetary gearset.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2011
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventors: Stefan Beck, Gerhard Gumpoltsberger, Christian Sibla, Michael Wechs, Juergen Wafzig
  • Patent number: 8534435
    Abstract: An actuating device for applying actuating forces in a friction clutch device for engaging and disengaging a friction clutch assembly of the friction clutch device. The torque transmission device comprises the actuating device for transmission of torque between a drive unit and a transmission which also includes the friction clutch device. A method for installing a torque transmission device of this type. Various aspects relate to setting of a pre-load on a bearing of the actuating device, setting an over-dead-point configuration for a compensation spring associated with at least one rotary member of the actuating device, setting a rotation movement range for the rotary member and/or an axial movement range for an actuating element which can be displaced axially by rotation movement imparted to the rotary member, and producing either a normally engaged or disengaged characteristic in a normally-engaged or normally-disengaged friction clutch assembly with the compensation spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Peter Fenn, Andreas Ratte, Klaus Reuter, Ralf Steinfeldt, Matthias Reisch, Juergen Wafzig
  • Publication number: 20130167676
    Abstract: A dual clutch transmission designed as a reduction gearing which has concentric central and hollow transmission shafts, exactly one layshaft, and two power shift elements. A hollow shaft is provided coaxially on the layshaft, which can be rotatably fixed to the layshaft, via one shift device, and to which at least two gears of the gear stages are rotatably fixed. A further hollow shaft is provided coaxially on either the central or the hollow transmission shaft, which can be connected, via one of the shift devices, with the central or the hollow transmission shaft and to which at least two further gears of the gear stages are rotatably fixed. At least three transmission ratios are obtainable as a result of engaging the shift element into the power flow in three of the gear stages, by which one transmission ratio results from engaging only one shift element into the power flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Ralf Dreibholz, Juergen Wafzig, Michael Wechs, Markus Renninger, Thomas Rosemeier, Johannes Kaltenbach, Rudolf Kauffeldt
  • Patent number: 8474340
    Abstract: A double clutch transmission with first and second clutches (K1, K2) with input sides connected with an input shaft (w_an) and output sides respectively connected with one of two coaxially arranged transmission output shafts (w_k1, w_k2). At least first and second countershafts (w_v1, w_v2) are provided on which are mounted idler gearwheels (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15), while on the two first and the second transmission input shafts (w_k1, w_k2) are mounted fixed gearwheels (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) whereby at least several power shiftable forward gears (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) and at least one reverse gear (R1, R2, R3, R4) is shiftable. A maximum of six gear planes (8-12, 9-13, 10-14, 11-4, 5-15) are provided so that at least one winding path gear is shifted upon disengagement of a coupling device (S_ab2) allocated to an output gear (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Rieger, Matthias Reisch, Juergen Wafzig, Gerhard Gumpoltsberger
  • Publication number: 20130160588
    Abstract: A double clutch transmission of countershaft design having a central shaft and a concentric hollow transmission shaft, one countershaft, and two power-shift elements. Two hollow shafts are disposed on the countershaft coaxially to the countershaft, each of which can be fixed, via one shift device, to the countershaft, and to which at least two gearwheels are fixed. A further hollow shaft is coaxially provided on either the central or hollow transmission shafts and can be connected, via a shift device, to the central or hollow transmission shaft, and to which at least two further gearwheels of the gear stages are fixed. At least three transmission ratios are possible by engaging three of the gear stages on the shift-element side into the power flow, thereby enabling one transmission ratio to be at least partially implemented by a respective sole engagement on the shift-element side into the power flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Ralf Dreibholz, Juergen Wafzig, Michael Wechs, Markus Renninger, Thomas Rosemeier, Johannes Kaltenbach, Rudolf Kauffeldt
  • Patent number: 8453531
    Abstract: A double clutch transmission with two clutches connected to a drive shaft and to one of two transmission input shafts. Fixed gears are coupled to the input shafts and engage idler gears. Several coupling devices connect the idler gears to either first or second countershafts which each have an output gear that couple gears of an output shaft such that forward and reverse gears can be shifted. A shifting device couples gears to engage power shift forward and reverse gears. Two dual gear planes each comprising one fixed gear and two idler gears which are supported by a respective countershaft. In each dual gear plane, at least one idler gear wheel can be used for at least two gears. Two single gear planes each comprise an idler and fixed gear such that at least one power shift winding-gear is engaged by a shifting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Gerhard Gumpoltsberger, Juergen Wafzig, Matthias Reisch, Wolfgang Rieger, Ralf Dreibholz
  • Patent number: 8397887
    Abstract: An actuating system for at least first and second coaxially arranged shifting elements of a transmission, in particular, a dual-clutch transmission (1) with at least two coaxially arranged control devices for actuating the associated shifting elements. The control devices comprise at least one rotary drive (4, 5) and at least one control element (6, 7) which are coupled to one another by corresponding gearteeth such that rotational movement, of each rotary drive (4, 5), can be converted into an axial control movement of the associated control element (6, 7). The axial position of the teeth of the geartooth array, of each control element (6, 7), varies in the circumferential direction, at least over a certain range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Matthias Reisch, Juergen Wafzig
  • Patent number: 8393239
    Abstract: A double clutch transmission with two clutches (K1, K2) having input sides connected to a drive shaft (w_an) and output side connected to one of two coaxially arranged transmission input shafts (w_k1, w_k2). At least two countershafts (w_v1, w_v2) are provided on which toothed idler gearwheels (7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15) are situated in a rotatable manner. Toothed idler gearwheels (1, 2, 3, 4) are provided in a rotationally fixed manner on the two transmission input shafts (w_k1, w_k2). At least a plurality of forward gears which are power shiftable (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) and at least one reverse gear (R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8) are shiftable. A maximum of five gear planes (7-13, 8-14, 9-15, 10-4) are provided so that at least one power shiftable winding path gear (G1, G8, R4) is shiftable by at least one shift element (P).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Rieger, Matthias Reisch, Juergen Wafzig, Philip Recker, Gerhard Gumpoltsberger
  • Patent number: 8393238
    Abstract: A double clutch transmission with two clutches connected to a drive shaft and to one of two transmission input shafts. Fixed gears are coupled to the input shafts and engage idler gears. Several coupling devices connect the idler gears to a respective countershaft which have an output gear that couple gears of an output shaft such that forward and reverse gears can be shifted. Three dual gear planes each comprise two idler gears, each supported by a respective countershaft, and one fixed gear. In each dual gear plane, at least one idler gear wheel can be used for implementing at least two gears so that at least one winding-path gear can be shifted via a shifting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Gerhard Gumpoltsberger, Juergen Wafzig, Matthias Reisch, Wolfgang Rieger, Ralf Dreibholz, Markus Maier
  • Patent number: 8365624
    Abstract: A dual clutch transmission having countershafts, idler gears and input shafts with gears which engage with the idler gears. The countershafts have a power take-off gear that is coupled to an output shaft. Shift elements connect gear wheels to engage forward and reverse gears. The transmission has two dual gear planes and two single gear planes, one idler gear of the countershafts being respectively associated with a fixed gear of one of the transmission input shafts in each of the dual gear planes. An idler gear in each dual gear plane is utilized for two gears and one idler gear of one countershafts associating with an input shaft fixed gear to shift at least one winding path gear via at least one shift element on each countershaft, and at least one winding path gear can be shifted with a coupling device associated with the take-off gear of the first countershaft and is disengaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Gerhard Gumpoltsberger, Juergen Wafzig, Matthias Reisch, Wolfgang Rieger, Ralf Dreibholz
  • Patent number: 8359939
    Abstract: A double clutch transmission with two clutches having input sides connected to a drive shaft and the output sides connected to one of two transmission input shafts which are coaxially arranged, at least two countershafts on which toothed idler gearwheels are supported, toothed fixed gearwheels are arranged in a rotationally fixed manner on both of the transmission input shafts and mesh with at least one of the idler gearwheels. A plurality of coupling devices, each connecting one idler gearwheels to a countershaft in a rotationally fixed manner, and one power take-off gear provided on each of the two countershafts, each of which gearwheels is coupled with gearing of an output shaft, such that a plurality of power shift forward gears and at least one reverse gear can be shifted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen
    Inventors: Wolfgang Rieger, Matthias Reisch, Juergen Wafzig, Gerhard Gumpoltsberger
  • Patent number: 8359938
    Abstract: A double clutch transmission with two clutches connected to a drive shaft and to one of two transmission input shafts. Fixed gears are coupled to the input shafts and engage idler gears. Several coupling devices connect the idler gears to a countershaft which have an output gear that couple gears of an output shaft such power shift forward gears and a reverse gear can be shifted. Three dual gear planes each comprising one fixed gear which is supported by an input shaft and two idler gears which are supported by a respective countershaft. In each dual gear plane at least one idler gear wheel can be used for at least two gears such that at least one winding-path gear is engaged by engagement of a disengaged output coupling device assigned to one of the output gear wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Gerhard Gumpoltsberger, Juergen Wafzig, Matthias Reisch, Wolfgang Rieger, Ralf Dreibholz
  • Patent number: 8342050
    Abstract: A double clutch transmission with two clutches connected to a drive shaft and to one of two transmission input shafts. Fixed gears are coupled to the input shafts and engage idler gears. Several coupling devices connect the idler gears to a countershaft which have an output gear that couple with gears of an output shaft such that forward and reverse gears can be shifted. Two dual gear planes each comprise two idler gears, each supported by a respective countershaft, and one fixed gear. In each dual gear plane, at least one idler gear is used for two gears. Two single gear planes each comprise an idler gear and a fixed gear such that at least one winding-path gear is shifted via a shifting device on the second countershaft, and at least one winding-path gear is shifted via a non-engaged coupling device, assigned to an output gear wheel on the first countershaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Gerhard Gumpoltsberger, Juergen Wafzig, Matthias Reisch, Wolfgang Rieger, Ralf Dreibholz
  • Patent number: 8230751
    Abstract: A double clutch transmission with two clutches connected to a drive shaft and to one of two transmission input shafts. Fixed gears are coupled to the input shafts and engage idler gears. Several coupling devices connect the idler gears to a countershaft which have an output gear that couple gears of an output shaft such power shift forward gears and a reverse gear can be shifted. Two dual gear planes each comprising one fixed gear which is supported by an input shaft and two idler gears which are supported by a respective countershaft. In each dual gear plane at least one idler gear wheel can be used for at least two gears. Two single gear planes each comprise an idler gear wheel and a fixed gear wheel, so that at least one winding-path gear can be shifted via the shifting device and one winding-path gear via another shifting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Gerhard Gumpoltsberger, Juergen Wafzig, Matthias Reisch, Wolfgang Rieger, Ralf Dreibholz
  • Patent number: 8171813
    Abstract: A double clutch transmission with two clutches that have inputs connected to a drive shaft and outputs which are each connected to one of first and second transmission input shafts. Fixed gears are coupled to the input shafts and engage idler gears. Several coupling devices connect the idler gears to a respective countershaft which have an output gear that couples with an output shaft such that forward and reverse gears can be shifted. First and second dual gear planes each comprise two idler gears supported by a respective countershaft, and one fixed gear. In each of the first and the second gear planes, at least one idler gear is used for two gears. First and second single gear planes each comprise an idler gear and a fixed gear such that at least one winding-path gear can be shifted via at least one, non-engaged coupling device, assigned to one of the output gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Gerhard Gumpoltsberger, Juergen Wafzig, Matthias Reisch, Wolfgang Rieger, Ralf Dreibholz
  • Publication number: 20110048150
    Abstract: An actuating assembly for actuating synchronizing elements of a centrally synchronized dual-clutch transmission having at least a first part-transmission (6) and a second part-transmission (7) such that at least one synchronizing element is associated with each of the first and the second part-transmission (6, 7). A common actuator (1) is provided for actuating at least the synchronizing elements of the two part-transmissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Ralf Dreibholz, Eckhardt Luebke, Matthias Reisch, Juergen Wafzig
  • Publication number: 20110005886
    Abstract: An actuating device for applying actuating forces in a friction clutch device for engaging and disengaging a friction clutch assembly of the friction clutch device. The torque transmission device comprises the actuating device for transmission of torque between a drive unit and a transmission which also includes the friction clutch device. A method for installing a torque transmission device of this type. Various aspects relate to setting of a pre-load on a bearing of the actuating device, setting an over-dead-point configuration for a compensation spring associated with at least one rotary member of the actuating device, setting a rotation movement range for the rotary member and/or an axial movement range for an actuating element which can be displaced axially by rotation movement imparted to the rotary member, and producing either a normally engaged or disengaged characteristic in a normally-engaged or normally-disengaged friction clutch assembly with the compensation spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Peter Fenn, Andreas Ratte, Klaus Reuter, Ralf Steinfeldt, Matthias Reisch, Juergen Wafzig