Patents by Inventor Joachim Spratte

Joachim Spratte 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: 11530744
    Abstract: An actuator for activating a plurality of operating functions in a technical system may include one or more of the following: a rotary knob, the rotary knob being rotatable about a rotational axis to an actuation position corresponding to a first operating function of a plurality of operating functions; a first sensor unit, where the actuation position is detectable by the first sensor unit such that a corresponding actuation position signal is sent to a control unit of the technical system causing activation of the first operating function; a second sensor unit for sending a shut-off signal to the control unit, where the technical system is set to a basic function of the plurality of operating functions upon receipt of the shut-off signal; and at least one sliding track partially encircling the rotary knob radially over an angle of less than 360.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Joachim Spratte, Mario Fischer, Bernard Lagemann
  • Publication number: 20210123524
    Abstract: An actuator for activating a plurality of operating functions in a technical system may include one or more of the following: a rotary knob, the rotary knob being rotatable about a rotational axis to an actuation position corresponding to a first operating function of a plurality of operating functions; a first sensor unit, where the actuation position is detectable by the first sensor unit such that a corresponding actuation position signal is sent to a control unit of the technical system causing activation of the first operating function; a second sensor unit for sending a shut-off signal to the control unit, where the technical system is set to a basic function of the plurality of operating functions upon receipt of the shut-off signal; and at least one sliding track partially encircling the rotary knob radially over an angle of less than 360.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Publication date: April 29, 2021
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Joachim Spratte, Mario Fischer, Bernard Lagemann
  • Publication number: 20210108721
    Abstract: The present approach relates to a release device (105) for a vehicle (100) for detecting at least one position of a drive unit (106) in, or in the vicinity of, a slide unit (108). The release device (105) comprises at least the drive unit (106), the slide unit (108), and a sensor system (109). The drive unit (106) is or can be located at least partially in the slide unit (108) of the release device (105) in a first position, in order to lock or engage a parking lock (110) of the vehicle (100), and at least partially removed form the slide unit (108) in a second position, in order to release or disengage the parking lock (110). The slide unit (108) is configured to at least partially receive the drive unit (106) in at least the first position of the drive unit (106).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2017
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Carsten Bode, Joachim Spratte, Torsten Aumann, Frank Plesternings, Angela Squeri, Martin Herrmann, Daniel Pfeiffer
  • Publication number: 20200271218
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a gear selection switch for a motor vehicle. The gear selection switch comprises at least one piezoelectric sensor element for detecting an actuation of the gear selection switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2016
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Daniel KREINEST, Vitali FRIBUS, Joachim SPRATTE, Alexander KIRILENKO
  • Publication number: 20200271223
    Abstract: The invention relates to a shifting selection and parking lock system for a motor vehicle including a shifting selection device for engaging and disengaging transmission gears and/or for selecting at least one driving program, and a parking lock device for implementing a transmission parking lock mode. The shifting selection device has at least one gearshift lever unit with at least one gearshift lever. The parking lock device has at least one mechanical locking device and at least one electromechanical actuator that actuates the mechanical locking device. The gearshift lever unit and the electromechanical actuator are disposed in a common housing or the actuator is disposed in a separate housing and the gearshift lever unit is disposed directly on the separate housing of the actuator. The housing can be disposed in the region of the central console of the motor vehicle and/or integrated therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Ludger Rake, Joachim Spratte, Waldemar Merling, Henning Wöhl-Bruhn, Andreas Löhner, Bernhard Bley, Norbert Pelz, Oleg Semke
  • Patent number: 10690235
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an attachment mechanism, a gearshift lever housing, a force transmitting element, a shift device, and a method for attaching a shift device, which reduce a system noise that is transmitted from an engine compartment into a motor vehicle interior space. The attachment mechanism comprises an aperture for receiving the gearshift lever device, a bearing surface section at least partially encompassing the aperture, for bearing on a bearing element, a sealant receiver disposed in the bearing surface section, and a mount for supporting a section of a force transmitting device, by means of which the gearshift lever device can be connected to a motor vehicle transmission device in a shift-effecting manner, wherein the mount is disposed on a side of the bearing surface section facing away from the sealant receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Joachim Spratte, Andreas Salum
  • Publication number: 20190385561
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for operating a display using a monitoring device, wherein the display contains a display matrix that has a row driver device, and a column driver device, wherein the row driver device and the column driver device each have at least one test connection connected to the monitoring device. The method includes an actuation step wherein the row driver device is actuated using row data cycles, and the column driver device is actuated using column data cycles, wherein a test signal is provided via the test connections that changes with each data cycle that is displayed. In a monitoring step, the monitoring device monitors the test signals and issues an error message if the content of at least one of the test signals remains the same for more than a predefined number of data cycles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Vitali FRIBUS, Andreas PEUKERT, Joachim SPRATTE, Johannes KIRCHHOFF
  • Publication number: 20190383392
    Abstract: The present approach relates to an unlocking device (105) for unlocking a park lock (110) of a vehicle (100). The unlocking device (105) comprises at least an eccentric apparatus (115), a slide unit (120) and an actuation apparatus (125). The eccentric apparatus (115) is designed to hold the slide unit (120) in a locking position in which the park lock (110) is locked or engaged in a first position in which the eccentric apparatus (115) is accommodated at least partly in the slide unit (120), and in a second position, to enable a transfer of the slide unit (120) into an unlocking position, in which the park lock (110) is unlocked or disengaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Joachim SPRATTE, Torsten AUMANN
  • Publication number: 20190385389
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for checking a display unit for a vehicle, wherein the display unit comprises a display matrix that has numerous pixels that can be backlit, and a detector unit for detecting light reflected by pixels when they are backlit. A gear step signal that represents a current gear step of the vehicle is input. The pixels are then actuated using the gear step signal, to display at least one test image on the display unit. The detector unit is read in response to the actuation in order to obtain at least one test signal assigned to the test image. This is then evaluated in order to check the functional operability of the display unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Vitali FRIBUS, Andreas PEUKERT, Joachim SPRATTE, Johannes KIRCHHOFF
  • Patent number: 10436321
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a parking lock gear mechanism including a planetary gear train with a sun gear, a ring gear, and at least one planet gear that meshes with the sun gear and the ring gear. The at least one planet gear may be attached to a rotating planet carrier. The parking lock gear mechanism may also have a spring unit coupled to the ring gear, where the spring unit is configured such that it is tensioned by a rotation of the ring gear, and exerts a torque and/or force on the ring gear when it is tensioned. A ring gear securing unit may be configured to secure the ring gear against rotation in a first operating state, and to release the ring gear such that it can rotate in a second operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Joachim Spratte, Angela Squeri, Ulrich Mair, Michael Linder
  • Publication number: 20190293854
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a fiber optic element (102). An optical fiber (106) is coated at least in part with a transparent metal layer (108) by sputtering at least one metallic diffuser thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Publication date: September 26, 2019
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Alexander Kirilenko, Joachim Spratte
  • Publication number: 20190063600
    Abstract: A shifter for gear selection in a gearshift transmission for a vehicle is or can be connected to an actuating unit for signal transmission to initiate a gear selection by means of a gear selection signal transmitted to the shifter. The shifter has at least one mechanical interface for mechanically coupling the shifter to the gearshift transmission by means of at least one connecting element. The shifter is configured to exert a translational movement on the at least one mechanical interface for executing the gear selection by means of the at least one connecting element as a function of the gear selection signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Joachim Spratte, Wolfgang Fortmann
  • Patent number: 10192666
    Abstract: A magnetic device for locking a gear shift lever of a vehicle in a predetermined position, where the magnetic device has a coil, a tie component, which is or can be movably supported in the coil, and a spring, which is disposed outside the coil, where the spring is designed to push the tie component out of the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Joachim Spratte, Thorsten Sander
  • Publication number: 20180364072
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a position detecting apparatus for a shift lever of a motor vehicle, the position detecting apparatus having a light path, which comprises a light source, a light conductor and a light sensor, wherein the light path is configured to conduct light from the light source to the light sensor, depending on a position of the shift lever.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Alexander Kirilenko, Joachim Spratte
  • Publication number: 20180172155
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a parking lock gear mechanism including a planetary gear train with a sun gear, a ring gear, and at least one planet gear that meshes with the sun gear and the ring gear. The at least one planet gear may be attached to a rotating planet carrier. The parking lock gear mechanism may also have a spring unit coupled to the ring gear, where the spring unit is configured such that it is tensioned by a rotation of the ring gear, and exerts a torque and/or force on the ring gear when it is tensioned. A ring gear securing unit may be configured to secure the ring gear against rotation in a first operating state, and to release the ring gear such that it can rotate in a second operating state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2016
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Joachim Spratte, Angela Squeri, Ulrich Mair, Michael Linder
  • Publication number: 20170023128
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an attachment mechanism, a gearshift lever housing, a force transmitting element, a shift device, and a method for attaching a shift device, which reduce a system noise that is transmitted from an engine compartment into a motor vehicle interior space. The attachment mechanism comprises an aperture for receiving the gearshift lever device, a bearing surface section at least partially encompassing the aperture, for bearing on a bearing element, a sealant receiver disposed in the bearing surface section, and a mount for supporting a section of a force transmitting device, by means of which the gearshift lever device can be connected to a motor vehicle transmission device in a shift-effecting manner, wherein the mount is disposed on a side of the bearing surface section facing away from the sealant receiver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Joachim SPRATTE, Andreas SALUM
  • Publication number: 20160217897
    Abstract: The present disclosure creates a magnetic device for locking a gear shift lever of a vehicle in a predetermined position, wherein the magnetic device has a coil, a tie component, which is or can be movably supported in the coil, and a spring, which is disposed outside the coil, wherein the spring is designed to push the tie component out of the coil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Joachim SPRATTE, Thorsten SANDER
  • Patent number: 8393632
    Abstract: A towing device, for a towing vehicle, with a coupling shaft attached to the towing vehicle, a ball head mounted on the coupling shaft so that the ball head can rotate about a vertical axis, which can be coupled to a coupling counterpart of a trailer vehicle, and with an angle-measuring device by which rotation of the ball head about the vertical axis, relative to the coupling shaft, can be determined, and a force-measuring device by which force exerted by the ball head on the coupling shaft in the direction of the vertical axis can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Jens Vortmeyer, Michael Klank, Peter Hofmann, Joachim Spratte
  • Patent number: 8342560
    Abstract: A coupling lock for a trailer coupling. The coupling lock comprises a receptacle (9) in which a coupling element (6) is inserted, an angle measuring device (13, 19) is connected to the receptacle (9), and the angle measuring device (13, 19) is provided for detecting rotation of the receptacle (9), about a rotational axis (18), relative to the coupling element (6). A magnetically adhering body (24) is elastically connected to the receptacle (9) and magnetically connectable to the coupling element (6) for actuating the angle measuring device (13, 19).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Ingo Albers, Christoph Elbers, Joachim Spratte, Katharina Matzold
  • Publication number: 20120217726
    Abstract: A towing device, for a towing vehicle, with a coupling shaft attached to the towing vehicle, a ball head mounted on the coupling shaft so that the ball head can rotate about a vertical axis, which can be coupled to a coupling counterpart of a trailer vehicle, and with an angle-measuring device by which rotation of the ball head about the vertical axis, relative to the coupling shaft, can be determined, and a force-measuring device by which force exerted by the ball head on the coupling shaft in the direction of the vertical axis can be determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Jens Vortmeyer, Michael Klank, Peter Hofmann, Joachim Spratte