Patents by Inventor Juergen Balz

Juergen Balz 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: 20060278477
    Abstract: The present device relates to an electromechanically operated parking brake for motor vehicles that is designed as a drum brake of the ‘Duo-Servo’ type, including a floatingly supported expanding lock which is operable by an electromechanical actuator arranged on a wheel support member and which acts on two brake shoes. To ensure the floating support of the expanding lock that is formed of a threaded-nut/spindle assembly and to always provide a desired application force, the invention discloses that the threaded nut on its outside circumference has a spur toothing which forms a spiral-toothed gear wheel system along with a spiral-toothed gear wheel driven by the electromechanical actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Inventors: Jürgen Balz, Rolf Weiler, Stefan Schmitt, Andreas Pohlmann, Sebastian Salzmann
  • Patent number: 6761252
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an electromechanically actuated partially lined disk brake suitable both for realizing driving and parking brake functions. For this purpose, the partially lined disk brake comprises a brake caliper with an electromechanical actuating unit, by means of which the partially lined disk brake can be clamped by way of at least one interposed actuating element. The object of the invention is to achieve a compact design and a parking brake that can be actuated electrically. The brake caliper includes a multi-step reduction gear arranged between the integrated actuating unit and an actuating element. The actuating unit, reduction gear and actuating element are arranged in a recess of the brake caliper that is configured as a housing. According to the invention, the multi-step reduction gear is configured as a non-self-locking device, i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventors: Rolf Weiler, Jürgen Balz, Werner Denhard, Stephan Heiderich
  • Patent number: 6702405
    Abstract: An electric parking brake system for a vehicle includes an electric control unit that controls a brake device and an operating element for actuating the electric parking brake system. When the vehicle is in a resting position, actuation of the operating element alternatively applies and releases the electric parking brake according to the driver's request. The electric parking brake system includes a parking operative mode and several starting operative modes. The electric parking brake system includes at least one distance sensor for enabling a controlled power braking involving dynamics and slip control when the vehicle is moving to avoid a potential collision with an obstacle, especially when parking the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co., oHG
    Inventors: Jürgen Balz, Alfred Eckert, Bernhard Kant, Peter Skotzek
  • Patent number: 6321884
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for actuating an electromechanically operable parking brake which includes a brake unit and an electrically driven actuator which actuates the brake unit, and wherein electric current is delivered to the actuator for locking and/or releasing the parking brake. One important feature of the present invention is that the current delivery for the actuator is basically interrupted at least one time during the locking and/or releasing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co., OHG
    Inventor: Juergen Balz
  • Patent number: 6311808
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a combined service and parking brake system, especially for automotive vehicles, which includes a hydraulically clampable combined service and parking brake with a mechanical locking device. The mechanical locking device is electrically operable and thus satisfies in a simple fashion the parking function of the hydraulically clamped combined service and parking brake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co., OHG
    Inventors: Georg Halasy-Wimmer, Jürgen Balz, Stefan Schmitt, Ulrich Neumann, Hans-Jörg Feigel, Lothar Schiel, Andreas Klein
  • Patent number: 6279694
    Abstract: There is the problem of adjusting a clearance in electromechanically or electromotively operated brakes because automatic resetting means, which are provided for hydraulic brakes, cannot be used in brakes of the above type. Initially, it is necessary to determine a neutral position of the motor which is defined by the friction elements just abutting the brake disc in this position. This situation is determined by a detection device which exhibits the following operation in one preferred embodiment. The motor is driven from an unknown position by a constant motor torque so that the friction linings are moved towards the brake disc. The motor will speed up because the resistances remain constant in the starting stroke. An abrupt deceleration of the motor will be caused when the friction linings are applied to the brake disc. The zero passage of the angular acceleration can be sensed and interpreted as an application of the friction linings on the brake disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Jürgen Böhm, Martin Semsch, Jürgen Balz, Karlheinz Bill, Peter Scheerer
  • Patent number: 5551764
    Abstract: A brake system for automotive vehicles with electric drive is operable by an actuating pedal and uses hydraulic friction brakes to augment the braking effect generated by the electric drive motors. The coaction of the drive motors with the hydraulic friction brakes is controlled by an electronic controller. In order to largely conform the pedal characteristics of the mentioned brake system to that of a standard passenger car, an actuating pedal (5) is in force-transmitting and travel-transmitting connection with a spring (8) exhibiting a predetermined characteristic curve, and the master brake cylinder (11), uncoupled from the actuating pedal (5), is operable by an electromagnet (9) which is responsive to the controller (70). If the master brake cylinder accommodates two pressure cheers, a single valve is arranged in or on the master cylinder housing, and acts as both a bypass valve and a differential-pressure valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Dieter Kircher, Peter E. Rieth, Karlheinz Bill, Juergen Balz, Lothar Kunze, Georg Halasy-Wimmer
  • Patent number: 5472264
    Abstract: A brake unit for automotive vehicles with electric drive is configured in the shape of a multiple-circuit compound system consisting of hydraulic friction brakes of brake circuits (I, I', I", III, III', III") and of an electroregenerative brake system (circuit II, II', II"). In a vehicle with a driven and a non-driven axle, three brake circuits exist, one brake circuit of which (I, I', I") is comprised of a pedal-actuated hydraulic brake pressure master unit (2) and of friction brakes (3, 4) acting upon the non-driven wheels. The second brake circuit (II, II', II") which represents an electroregenerative brake system is directly or indirectly coupled to the brake pedal and acts upon the driven wheels. The third brake circuit (III, III', III") which is comprised of friction brakes (10, 11) also acts upon the driven wheels. The actuation of the wheel brakes (10, 11) is connected to the second and third brake circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Hans-Christof Klein, Peter Drott, Peter Lohberg, Juergen Balz
  • Patent number: 5421643
    Abstract: A brake system for automotive vehicles with electric drive is operable by an actuating pedal and uses hydraulic friction brakes to augment the braking effect generated by the electric drive motors. The coaction of the drive motors with the hydraulic friction brakes is controlled by an electronic controller. In order to largely conform the pedal characteristics of the mentioned brake system to that of a standard passenger car, an actuating pedal (5) is in force-transmitting and travel-transmitting connection with a spring (8) exhibiting a predetermined characteristic curve, and the master brake cylinder (11), uncoupled from the actuating pedal (5), is operable by an electromagnet (9) which is responsive to the controller (70). If the master brake cylinder accommodates two pressure chambers, a single valve is arranged in or on the master cylinder housing, and acts as both a bypass valve and a differential-pressure valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1995
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Dieter Kircher, Peter E. Rieth, Bill Karlheinz, Juergen Balz, Lothar Kunze, Georg Halasy-Wimmer
  • Patent number: 5330021
    Abstract: The invention is related to an electromechanical power steering system (1) for vehicles whose servomotor (5) is positioned in the passenger compartment (2) in order to protect it from negative effects, such as mud, oil, fuel or similar which customarily exist in the engine compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Alfred Teves GmbH
    Inventors: Wilhelm Beer, Juergen Balz
  • Patent number: 5123279
    Abstract: A transducer for an electromotively driven automotive vehicle power steering system is substantially composed of a compact sensor carrier (6) which can be plugged into a corresponding opening of a steering housing (1). Semiconductor sensor elements (S1, S2) are arranged on the side of the sensor carrier (6) projecting into the interior of the steering housing (1). Outwardly, the sensor carrier (6) ends in plug contacts (12) serving to supply the sensor signals via a corresponding counter-plug to the analyzing electronics. The compact transducer which is retained in the steering housing (1) e.g. by means of steel stop springs (13) is apt for measuring the steering angle, the steering velocity and steering acceleration as well as for measuring the steering torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: Alfred Teves GmbH
    Inventors: Nabil Henein, Wilhelm Beer, Juergen Balz