Patents by Inventor Jean-Francois Heller
Jean-Francois Heller 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).
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Publication number: 20250020171Abstract: A pendulum rocker damper for a drive train of a motor vehicle includes a rotation axis (D), and a rocker unit for modulating a torque. The rocker unit includes a primary flange connectable to a first external connection, a rocker element preloaded by an energy storage element, a first roller and a second roller, and a secondary flange connectable to a second external connection. The first roller can roll on a first rocker-side roller track and a primary flange-side roller track complementary to the first rocker-side roller track. The second roller can roll on a second rocker-side roller track and a secondary flange-side roller track complementary to the second rocker-side roller track. A friction device is arranged between the primary flange and the secondary flange. The friction device has a first component non-rotatable with the primary flange and a second component non-rotatable with the secondary flange.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2022Publication date: January 16, 2025Applicant: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KGInventors: Jean-Francois Heller, Frank Rübel, Yannick Strub, Ludovic Voorspoels
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Publication number: 20230115866Abstract: A torsional vibration damper for a drive train includes an axis of rotation, a multi-flange damper for damping torsional vibrations, a torque limiter unit for limiting a maximum transmissible torque, an outer hub connecting the multi-flange damper to the torque limiter unit for torque transmission, and an inner hub for connection to a transmission input shaft. The multi-flange damper has a plurality of flanges. The torque limiter unit is arranged radially inside the multi-flange damper and includes an inner plate and an outer plate. The outer hub is arranged radially between the multi-flange damper and the torque limiter unit and the inner hub is arranged radially inside the torque limiter unit. The outer hub includes an external toothing engaged with each of the plurality of flanges and an internal toothing engaged with the outer plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2021Publication date: April 13, 2023Applicant: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KGInventors: Jennifer Lau, Romain Kaufmann, Uwe Weller, Jean-Francois Heller, Alain Rusch
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Patent number: 7938243Abstract: The present invention broadly comprises a vibration damper assembly for a torque transmitting device. The assembly includes a thrust washer secured by first and second components of a vibration damper and a hub secured by the first and second components. The vibration damper, thrust washer, and hub are secured in a fixed position with respect to one another. In some aspects, the torque transmitting device comprises a longitudinal axis and the thrust washer comprises a hub segment having substantially a toroidal shape and at least one retainer segment extending outward, with respect to the axis, from the hub segment. At least a portion of the at least one retainer segment is disposed between the first and second components.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2006Date of Patent: May 10, 2011Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KGInventors: David Avins, Jean-Francois Heller
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Patent number: 7604543Abstract: An assembly for improving a connection between splined assemblies generally includes first and second assemblies each having at least one spline thereon, an integral fastening assembly for axially fastening the first assembly with respect to the second assembly, and a biasing assembly for asserting a force to oppositely rotationally dispose the first and second assemblies with respect to one another. In an embodiment, the first and second assemblies are annular plates. A method for improving a connection between splined assemblies generally includes asserting a bias upon first and second assemblies such that are oppositely rotationally disposed with respect to one another. In the above method, the first assembly and the second assembly each have at least one spline, an integral fastening assembly for axially securing the first and second assemblies, and a biasing assembly. In an embodiment of the above method, the first and second assemblies are annular plates.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2006Date of Patent: October 20, 2009Assignee: Luk Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: Joachim Hoffman, Todd Sturgin, Jean-Francois Heller
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Publication number: 20070048082Abstract: An assembly for improving a connection between splined assemblies generally includes first and second assemblies each having at least one spline thereon, an integral fastening assembly for axially fastening the first assembly with respect to the second assembly, and a biasing assembly for asserting a force to oppositely rotationally dispose the first and second assemblies with respect to one another. In an embodiment, the first and second assemblies are annular plates. A method for improving a connection between splined assemblies generally includes asserting a bias upon first and second assemblies such that are oppositely rotationally disposed with respect to one another. In the above method, the first assembly and the second assembly each have at least one spline, an integral fastening assembly for axially securing the first and second assemblies, and a biasing assembly. In an embodiment of the above method, the first and second assemblies are annular plates.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2006Publication date: March 1, 2007Applicant: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: Joachim Hoffmann, Todd Sturgin, Jean-Francois Heller
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Publication number: 20070034469Abstract: A torque converter clutch for a constant slip application including a cover, a friction plate secured to the cover, and at least one channel between the cover and the friction plate. In another embodiment, the torque converter clutch may further include a one-way valve operatively arranged to permit a fluid to flow out of a channel, while preventing the fluid from flowing in through the channel.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2006Publication date: February 15, 2007Applicant: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: Shiqi Zhu, Kunding Wang, Yongfu Liu, Jean-Francois Heller
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Publication number: 20070029151Abstract: The present invention broadly comprises a vibration damper assembly for a torque transmitting device. The assembly includes a thrust washer secured by first and second components of a vibration damper and a hub secured by the first and second components. The vibration damper, thrust washer, and hub are secured in a fixed position with respect to one another. In some aspects, the torque transmitting device comprises a longitudinal axis and the thrust washer comprises a hub segment having substantially a toroidal shape and at least one retainer segment extending outward, with respect to the axis, from the hub segment. At least a portion of the at least one retainer segment is disposed between the first and second components.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2006Publication date: February 8, 2007Applicant: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: David Avins, Jean-Francois Heller
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Publication number: 20070029156Abstract: The friction clutch between the prime mover and the change-speed transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle is actuatable by a slave cylinder cooperating with a master cylinder wherein the piston is movable by a clutch pedal or by an electric actuator. The casing of the slave cylinder is made, at least in part, of a plastic material and defines a plenum chamber arranged to receive pressurized fluid from the master cylinder by way of a conduit extending through a bell which contains the clutch and the slave cylinder. The annular piston of the slave cylinder surrounds the input shaft of the transmission. The plastic material of the casing of the slave cylinder can contain one or more additives which enhance its strength and/or influence its frictional engagement with the adjacent surfaces of the piston or of a lip seal which reciprocates with the piston.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2006Publication date: February 8, 2007Inventors: Axel Rogner, Manfred Jansen, Woflgang Fugel, Ulrich Helfmeier, Ernani Almeida, Dieter Adler, Uwe Abraham, Gerhard Meyer, Ludwig Winkelmann, Rainer Venz, Manfred Kraus, Peter Giese, Roland Welter, Jean-Francois Heller, Volker Lang, Wolfgang Sulger, Urban Panther
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Patent number: 7121396Abstract: The friction clutch between the prime mover and the change-speed transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle is actuatable by a slave cylinder cooperating with a master cylinder wherein the piston is movable by a clutch pedal or by an electric actuator. The casing of the slave cylinder is made, at least in part, of a plastic material and defines a plenum chamber arranged to receive pressurized fluid from the master cylinder by way of a conduit extending through a bell which contains the clutch and the slave cylinder. The annular piston of the slave cylinder surrounds the input shaft of the transmission. The plastic material of the casing of the slave cylinder can contain one or more additives which enhance its strength and/or influence its frictional engagement with the adjacent surfaces of the piston or of a lip seal which reciprocates with the piston.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2004Date of Patent: October 17, 2006Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: Axel Rogner, Manfred Jansen, Wolfgang Fugel, Ulrich Helfmeier, Ernani Almeida, Dieter Adler, Uwe Abraham, Gerhard Meyer, Ludwig Winkelmann, Rainer Venz, Manfred Kraus, Peter Giese, Roland Welter, Jean-Francois Heller, Volker Lang, Wolfgang Sulger, Urban Panther
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Patent number: 7000747Abstract: A hydrokinetic torque converter with a built-in bypass clutch is provided with an arrangement which regulates the cooling of the clutch at a rate dependent upon the slip between the coaxial driving and driven parts of the clutch, and hence upon the quantity of generated friction heat. The cooling unit for the driving and/or driven part of the clutch can employ, for example, one or more pumps; a supply of a substance which changes its aggregate state from liquid to gaseous or from solid to flowable in response to heating, and vice versa in response to cooling; one or more porous washers in the path for the flow of hydraulic fluid between the customary plenum chambers provided in the housing of the torque converter to move a piston of the driven part of the clutch into and from frictional engagement with the housing; and/or a system of recesses, grooves, channels and/or other passages serving to convey fluid between the chambers at a rate which is higher or highest when the clutch operates with maximum slip.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2004Date of Patent: February 21, 2006Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: Gunnar Back, Hubert Friedmann, Paul Granderath, Jean-Francois Heller, Stephan Maienschein, Marc Meisner, Bruno Müller, Wolfgang Reik
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Publication number: 20050126874Abstract: A hydrokinetic torque converter with a built-in bypass clutch is provided with an arrangement which regulates the cooling of the clutch at a rate dependent upon the slip between the coaxial driving and driven parts of the clutch, and hence upon the quantity of generated friction heat. The cooling unit for the driving and/or driven part of the clutch can employ, for example, one or more pumps; a supply of a substance which changes its aggregate state from liquid to gaseous or from solid to flowable in response to heating, and vice versa in response to cooling; one or more porous washers in the path for the flow of hydraulic fluid between the customary plenum chambers provided in the housing of the torque converter to move a piston of the driven part of the clutch into and from frictional engagement with the housing; and/or a system of recesses, grooves, channels and/or other passages serving to convey fluid between the chambers at a rate which is higher or highest when the clutch operates with maximum slip.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2004Publication date: June 16, 2005Inventors: Gunnar Back, Hubert Friedmann, Paul Granderath, Jean-Francois Heller, Stephan Maienschein, Marc Meisner, Bruno Muller, Wolfgang Reik
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Patent number: 6851532Abstract: A hydrokinetic torque converter with a built-in bypass clutch is provided with an arrangement which regulates the cooling of the clutch at a rate dependent upon the slip between the coaxial driving and driven parts of the clutch, and hence upon the quantity of generated friction heat. The cooling unit for the driving and/or driven part of the clutch can employ, for example, one or more pumps; a supply of a substance which changes its aggregate state from liquid to gaseous or from solid to flowable in response to heating, and vice versa in response to cooling; one or more porous washers in the path for the flow of hydraulic fluid between the customary plenum chambers provided in the housing of the torque converter to move a piston of the driven part of the clutch into and from frictional engagement with the housing; and/or a system of recesses, grooves, channels and/or other passages serving to convey fluid between the chambers at a rate which is higher or highest when the clutch operates with maximum slip.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2001Date of Patent: February 8, 2005Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbHInventors: Gunnar Back, Hubert Friedmann, Paul Granderath, Jean-Francois Heller, Stephan Maienschein, Marc Meisner, Bruno Müller, Wolfgang Reik
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Publication number: 20040238313Abstract: The friction clutch between the prime mover and the change-speed transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle is actuatable by a slave cylinder cooperating with a master cylinder wherein the piston is movable by a clutch pedal or by an electric actuator. The casing of the slave cylinder is made, at least in part, of a plastic material and defines a plenum chamber arranged to receive pressurized fluid from the master cylinder by way of a conduit extending through a bell which contains the clutch and the slave cylinder. The annular piston of the slave cylinder surrounds the input shaft of the transmission. The plastic material of the casing of the slave cylinder can contain one or more additives which enhance its strength and/or influence its frictional engagement with the adjacent surfaces of the piston or of a lip seal which reciprocates with the piston.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2004Publication date: December 2, 2004Inventors: Axel Rogner, Manfred Jansen, Wolfgang Fugel, Ulrich Helfmeier, Ernani Almeida, Dieter Adler, Uwe Abraham, Gerhard Meyer, Ludwig Winkelmann, Rainer Venz, Manfred Kraus, Peter Giese, Roland Welter, Jean-Francois Heller, Volker Lang, Wolfgang Sulger, Urban Panther
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Patent number: 6769254Abstract: The piston of a master cylinder in the power train of a motor vehicle is made, at least in part, of a thermosetting plastic material and cooperates with one or more annular seals to ensure that a source of hydraulic fluid is communicatively connected with the chamber in the housing of the master cylinder when the piston is moved by one or more springs or otherwise in a sense to increase the volume of the chamber. When a pedal or another actuator causes the piston to expel pressurized fluid from the master cylinder into a slave cylinder, the seal or seals cooperates or cooperate with the housing and/or with the piston of the master cylinder to seal the source from the chamber of the master cylinder. The slave cylinder can actuate the friction clutch between the prime mover and the transmission in the power train of the motor vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2002Date of Patent: August 3, 2004Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: Jean-Francois Heller, Urban Panther, Jan Grabenstätter, Thomas Rammhofer, Roland Welter
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Patent number: 6719115Abstract: The friction clutch between the prime mover and the change-speed transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle is actuatable by a slave cylinder cooperating with a master cylinder wherein the piston is movable by a clutch pedal or by an electric actuator. The casing of the slave cylinder is made, at least in part, of a plastic material and defines a plenum chamber arranged to receive pressurized fluid from the master cylinder by way of a conduit extending through a bell which contains the clutch and the slave cylinder. The annular piston of the slave cylinder surrounds the input shaft of the transmission. The plastic material of the casing of the slave cylinder can contain one or more additives which enhance its strength and/or influence its frictional engagement with the adjacent surfaces of the piston or of a lip seal which reciprocates with the piston.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2002Date of Patent: April 13, 2004Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: Axel Rogner, Manfred Jansen, Wolfgang Fugel, Ulrich Helfmeier, Ernani Almeida, Dieter Adler, Uwe Abraham, Gerhard Meyer, Ludwig Winkelmann, Rainer Venz, Manfred Kraus, Peter Giese, Roland Welter, Jean-Francois Heller, Volker Lang, Wolfgang Sulger, Urban Panther
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Publication number: 20040050639Abstract: A hydrokinetic torque converter with a built-in bypass clutch is provided with an arrangement which regulates the cooling of the clutch at a rate dependent upon the slip between the coaxial driving and driven parts of the clutch, and hence upon the quantity of generated friction heat. The cooling unit for the driving and/or driven part of the clutch can employ, for example, one or more pumps; a supply of a substance which changes its aggregate state from liquid to gaseous or from solid to flowable in response to heating, and vice versa in response to cooling; one or more porous washers in the path for the flow of hydraulic fluid between the customary plenum chambers provided in the housing of the torque converter to move a piston of the driven part of the clutch into and from frictional engagement with the housing; and/or a system of recesses, grooves, channels and/or other passages serving to convey fluid between the chambers at a rate which is higher or highest when the clutch operates with maximum slip.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2003Publication date: March 18, 2004Inventors: Gunnar Back, Hubert Friedmann, Paul Granderath, Jean-Francois Heller, Stephan Maienschein, Marc Meisner, Bruno Muller, Wolfgang Reik
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Patent number: 6659252Abstract: The housing of the slave cylinder in an apparatus for actuating a friction clutch between the engine and the input shaft of the change-speed transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle has a one-piece metallic or plastic member which is non-rotatably affixed to the transmission case. The annular piston of the slave cylinder carries a clutch release bearing and is surrounded by a wall of the housing; this piston slidably surrounds a deep-drawn metallic guide sleeve which is centered in the transmission case and has a flange secured to a collar of the housing by two or more lugs having mutually inclined portions partially bent around and partially recessed into the collar.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2002Date of Patent: December 9, 2003Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventor: Jean-Francois Heller
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Publication number: 20030029692Abstract: The friction clutch between the prime mover and the change-speed transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle is actuatable by a slave cylinder cooperating with a master cylinder wherein the piston is movable by a clutch pedal or by an electric actuator. The casing of the slave cylinder is made, at least in part, of a plastic material and defines a plenum chamber arranged to receive pressurized fluid from the master cylinder by way of a conduit extending through a bell which contains the clutch and the slave cylinder. The annular piston of the slave cylinder surrounds the input shaft of the transmission. The plastic material of the casing of the slave cylinder can contain one or more additives which enhance its strength and/or influence its frictional engagement with the adjacent surfaces of the piston or of a lip seal which reciprocates with the piston.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2002Publication date: February 13, 2003Applicant: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: Axel Rogner, Manfred Jansen, Wolfgang Fugel, Ulrich Helfmeier, Ernani Almeida, Dieter Adler, Uwe Abraham, Gerhard Meyer, Ludwig Winkelmann, Rainer Venz, Manfred Kraus, Peter Giese, Roland Welter, Jean-Francois Heller, Volker Lang, Wolfgang Sulger, Urban Panther
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Publication number: 20030010595Abstract: The housing of the slave cylinder in an apparatus for actuating a friction clutch between the engine and the input shaft of the change-speed transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle has a one-piece metallic or plastic member which is non-rotatably affixed to the transmission case. The annular piston of the slave cylinder carries a clutch release bearing and is surrounded by a wall of the housing; this piston slidably surrounds a deep-drawn metallic guide sleeve which is centered in the transmission case and has a flange secured to a collar of the housing by two or more lugs having mutually inclined portions partially bent around and partially recessed into the collar.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2002Publication date: January 16, 2003Applicant: Luk Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventor: Jean-Francois Heller
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Patent number: 6470909Abstract: A hydraulic system for a motor vehicle has at least one pressure restricting valve with a housing that has two or more connections. At least one conduit cross-section in the housing can be closed by means of a closing body that is movable axially against the action of an energy accumulator. At least a part of the axial travel of the closing body is damped by means of a damping device.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2000Date of Patent: October 29, 2002Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: Jürgen Osterlänger, Gerhard Prosch, Walter Parzefall, Jean-Francois Heller, Manfred Homm, Alexandre Fidline, Eugen Kremer