Patents by Inventor Kim Fuhrer

Kim Fuhrer 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: 8656808
    Abstract: A transmission system for either a manual shift transmission, an automatic transmission or an automated transmission in which the electrical connections and the pneumatic connections including any ventilation port, for the internal components of the transmission are combined with one another so as to exit the transmission housing via a single unified connection formed in the housing wall of the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Josef Bader, Gerhard Birkenmaier, Andreas Graf, Kim Führer, Kai Heinrich, Frank Gessler, Klaus Wöhr, Hubert König, Manfred Vetter, Gerhard Höring, Ludger Ronge, Henrik Schuh, Markus Ulbricht, Mario Steinborn, Karl-Fritz Heinzelmann, Bernhard Walter
  • Patent number: 8324887
    Abstract: A device for determining the rotational speed of a transmission shaft (12). The device includes a rotational speed indicator (3) connected, in a rotationally fixed manner, to the transmission shaft (12) and at least one rotation speed sensor (2) including at least one sensor element (10). By way of the sensor element (10), the speed of the transmission shaft (12) is detected via the speed indicator (3). The speed sensor (2) is attached to a shifting element (5) for actuating a sliding sleeve (4) of a clutch device (1) that is connected to the transmission shaft (12) in such a manner that the sliding sleeve (4) axially movable on but fixed so as not to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Kim Fuhrer
  • Patent number: 8286532
    Abstract: A transmission control having an electronic control unit (17), at least one mechatronic component (19, 20, 21), and a housing (2) comprising an upper housing part (3), a lower housing part (5), and a central housing part (4). These housing parts together form at least one receiving space (8, 10, 11, 12) for the control unit (17) and/or the mechatronic component (19, 20, 21) which is arranged between the upper housing part (3) and the lower housing part (5). The control unit (17) and/or the at least one mechatronic component (19, 20, 21) are fastened on the upper housing part (3). A process for installation of a transmission control (1) is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Hubert Konig, Kim Fuhrer, Markus Ulbricht, Thomas Puth
  • Publication number: 20120183368
    Abstract: A method of producing internal gear teeth with deflecting surfaces such that the internal gear teeth are arranged in a component having an end and a longitudinal axis, as well as an end face that is offset relative to the end of the component in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The method comprises the steps of machining the end face of the internal teeth using a conical tool that rotates about a tool axis arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis, the rotating tool first being introduced axially and then moved along a circular path coaxial to the longitudinal axis, and finally being withdrawn parallel to the axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventor: Kim Fuhrer
  • Patent number: 8156796
    Abstract: A sensor arrangement (1) for a clutch device (22) comprising a housing (2) and a sensor part (5, 5?) with at least one sensor (17) for detecting the position of a movable part (3) of the clutch device (22). The housing (2) has a recess (6) for the sensor part (5, 5?) and the sensor part (5, 5?) is fastened to a stationary part (2, 20). The sensor part (5, 5?) may be positioned on the clutch device (22) from the outside through the recess (6) of the housing and detachably fastened to the stationary part (2, 20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Kim Fuhrer
  • Patent number: 8050832
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining the rotational speed of the main shaft (3) of a transmission in which the main shaft (3) is connected to an output shaft (4) via a shiftable planetary gear (17), whereby the main shaft (3) is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the sun gear (18) and the output shaft (4) is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the planet carrier (20). The steps of the method are picking up the rotational speed (nHohlrad) of the ring gear (22), picking up the rotational speed (nAbtrieb) of the output shaft or the planet carrier (20), and computing the rotational speed (nHauptwelle) of the main shaft (3) from the rotational speed (nHohlrad) of the ring gear and the rotational speed (nAbtrieb) of the output shaft or the planet carrier (20). The present invention further relates to a transmission having a rotational speed pickup device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Kim Fuhrer, Thomas Puth, Frank Gessler
  • Patent number: 7908914
    Abstract: An arrangement for determining the rotational speed of a transmission shaft (3) featuring a transmission shaft (3), a rotational speed transmitter that is connected in a rotationally fixed manner with the transmission shaft (3) and a stationary rotational, speed sensor (34), via a rotational speed that can be detected from the rotational speed transmitter. The rotational speed transmitter is provided on the periphery of a shift collar (20) of a coupling device (19) that is axially displaceable and arranged in a rotationally fixed manner on the transmission shaft. The invention also relates to a transmission with an arrangement of this kind, as well as to a method of determining the rotational speed of the transmission shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Kim Führer
  • Publication number: 20100176797
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a device for determining the rotational speed of a transmission shaft (12), which comprises a rotational speed indicator (3) connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the transmission shaft (12) and at least one rotational speed sensor (2) comprising at least one sensor element (10), such that by means of the sensor element (10) the speed of the transmission shaft (12) can be detected at the speed indicator (3). According to the invention, the speed sensor (2) is attached to a shifting element (5) for actuating a sliding sleeve (4) of a clutch device (1) that is connected axially movably but in a rotationally fixed manner to the transmission shaft (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2008
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventor: Kim Fuhrer
  • Publication number: 20100162807
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a sensor arrangement (1) for a clutch device (22) comprising a housing (2) and a sensor part (5, 5?) with at least one sensor (17) for the detection of the position of a movable part (3) of the clutch device (22), wherein the housing (2) has a recess (6) for the sensor part (5, 5?), and the sensor part (5, 5?) may be fastened to a stationary part (2, 20). According to the present invention, the sensor part (5, 5?) may be positioned on the clutch device (22) from the outside through the recess (6) of the housing and detachably fastened to the stationary part (2, 20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventor: Kim FUHRER
  • Publication number: 20100056329
    Abstract: A transmission control having an electronic control unit (17), at least one mechatronic component (19, 20, 21), and a housing (2) comprising an upper housing part (3), a lower housing part (5), and a central housing part (4). These housing parts together form at least one receiving space (8, 10, 11, 12) for the control unit (17) and/or the mechatronic component (19, 20, 21) which is arranged between the upper housing part (3) and the lower housing part (5). The control unit (17) and/or the at least one mechatronic component (19, 20, 21) are fastened on the upper housing part (3). A process for installation of a transmission control (1) is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2007
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Hubert Konig, Kim Fuhrer, Markus Ulbricht, Thomas Puth
  • Publication number: 20090280948
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining the rotational speed of the main shaft (3) of a transmission in which the main shaft (3) is connected to an output shaft (4) via a shiftable planetary gear (17), whereby the main shaft (3) is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the sun gear (18) and the output shaft (4) is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the planet carrier (20). The steps of the method are picking up the rotational speed (nHohlrad) of the ring gear (22), picking up the rotational speed (nAbtrieb) of the output shaft or the planet carrier (20), and computing the rotational speed (nHauptwelle) of the main shaft (3) from the rotational speed (nHohlrad) of the ring gear and the rotational speed (nAbtrieb) of the output shaft or the planet carrier (20). The present invention further relates to a transmission having a rotational speed pickup device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventors: Kim Fuhrer, Thomas Puth, Frank Gessler
  • Publication number: 20090235770
    Abstract: A shift device (13) for a manual transmission having actuation mechanisms for shifting and selecting in which the selection motion is carried out by way of a selector actuator (10), which is connected to a driving lug (5) of a selector plate (4). An anchor (1) of the selector actuator (10) consists of a permanent magnet (2). End stops (3) of the selector actuator (10) are configured of ferromagnetic material, where the anchor (1) of the selector actuator (10) is fixed in a defined position for the installation of the selector actuator (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2007
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Josef Bader, Gerhard Birkenmaier, Kim Führer, Frank Gessler, Andreas Graf, Kai Heinrich, Karl-Fritz Heinzelmann, Gerhard Höring, Hubert König, Ludger Ronge, Henrik Schuh, Mario Steinborn, Markus Ulbricht, Manfred Vetter, Bernhard Walter, Klaus Wöhr
  • Publication number: 20090188336
    Abstract: A transmission with a rotation speed determining device includes a rotation speed indicator (21) connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a transmission shaft (3) and a stationary rotation speed sensor (22) such that the rotation speed of the transmission shaft can be determined from the rotation speed indicator. The rotation speed indicator extends radially outward into at least one guide (33, 35) which reduces the axial play of the rotation speed indicator. With this transmission, the rotation speed of the transmission shaft can be determined particularly reliably.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Inventor: Kim Fuhrer
  • Publication number: 20090183566
    Abstract: An arrangement for determining the rotational speed of a transmission shaft (3) featuring a transmission shaft (3), a rotational speed transmitter that is connected in a rotationally fixed manner with the transmission shaft (3) and a stationary rotational, speed sensor (34), via a rotational speed that can be detected from the rotational speed transmitter. The rotational speed transmitter is provided on the periphery of a shift collar (20) of a coupling device (19) that is axially displaceable and arranged in a rotationally fixed manner on the transmission shaft. The invention also relates to a transmission with an arrangement of this kind, as well as to a method of determining the rotational speed of the transmission shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AB
    Inventor: Kim Führer
  • Publication number: 20080135371
    Abstract: A sensor assembly (1) for a clutch device with a separate sensor component (8), comprising a mounting section (9) for affixing the sensor component to a stationary section (2), a sensor (11) for measuring on a movable component (5) and one signal line (15,16) that is connected to the sensor and to a connecting section (14) of the sensor component (8), in order to connect the signal line to a stationary device (7). The sensor component is configured in such a way that the mounting section and the connecting section are arranged in a permanent alignment in relation to each other so that the connection section is automatically connected to the stationary device when the fixing device is fixed to the stationary section. The present invention also relates to a clutch device with this kind of sensor assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Frank GESSLER, Kim Fuhrer, Thomas Puth
  • Publication number: 20080006635
    Abstract: A transmission system for either a manual shift transmission, an automatic transmission or an automated transmission in which the electrical connections and the pneumatic connections including any ventilation port, for the internal components of the transmission are combined with one another so as to exit the transmission housing via a single unified connection formed in the housing wall of the transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Josef Bader, Gerhard Birkenmaier, Andreas Graf, Kim Fuhrer, Kai Heinrich, Frank Gessler, Klaus Wohr, Hubert Konig, Manfred Vetter, Gerhard Horing, Ludger Ronge, Henrik Schuh, Markus Ulbricht, Mario Steinborn, Karl-Fritz Heinzelmann, Bernhard Walter