Patents by Inventor Klaus Hofmann

Klaus Hofmann 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: 6145643
    Abstract: A housing for a multiple-disc clutch includes a toothed ring having a plurality of disc-driving teeth arranged on an inner circumferential surface of the same so as to be distributed in the circumferential direction and extending in a ring longitudinal direction. A flywheel is connected to a first end of the toothed ring for common rotation and a cover is connected to a second end the toothed ring for common rotation. At least one component of the cover and flywheel is connected to the toothed ring by a fastening arrangement that does not include fastening bolts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Sachs Race Engineering GmbH
    Inventors: Udo Pinschmidt, Werner Selzam, Thomas Rudolf, Horst Friedrich, Claus Orth, Klaus Hofmann
  • Patent number: 6142276
    Abstract: A housing for a multiplate clutch includes a toothed ring having a plurality of multiplate driver teeth arranged on an inner peripheral surface thereof distributed in the peripheral direction, and extending in a ring longitudinal direction. A flywheel disk is connected to the toothed ring at a first end of the same for common rotation. A cover is connected to the toothed ring at a second end of the same for common rotation. In this case, the toothed ring is connected to the flywheel disk by welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Sachs Race Engineering GmbH
    Inventors: Udo Pinschmidt, Thomas Rudolf, Werner Selzam, Horst Friedrich, Claus Orth, Klaus Hofmann
  • Patent number: 6079537
    Abstract: A friction clutch, in particular multidisk friction clutch, includes a wear compensation device arranged in the pressure force path of a diaphragm spring which forms the principal clutch spring. The wear compensation device is arranged between the diaphragm spring and a pressure plate which is rotatably fixed and axially movably arranged in a clutch housing. The wear compensation device has at least one pair of compensation elements that are axially expandable under the urgency of a spring element. The diaphragm spring is arranged so that it is liftable off of the compensation elements. The pressure plate is prestressed in the release direction by a ventilating spring system having a prestrssing force that is greater than the axial spreading force of the wear compensation device. A ventilating distance-limiting device is active between the pressure plate and the clutch housing and automatically readjusts to a predetermined fixed ventilating distance clearance when wear occurs in the clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Sachs Race Engineering GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Hofmann, Peter Orosz
  • Patent number: 6070707
    Abstract: The invention relates to a friction clutch in which an axial play is provided between an inner disk and a hub of a clutch disk. The axial play can be influenced by a device during assembly of the friction clutch in an engine and transmission of a motor vehicle drivetrain such that the hub is displaced, within the axial play, into the position in the axial play which lies closest to a flywheel of the friction clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Sachs Race Engineering GmbH
    Inventors: Klaus Hofmann, Thomas Rudolf, Horst Friedrich, Claus Orth, Werner Selzam
  • Patent number: 6047803
    Abstract: A housing for a plate clutch having a toothed ring with a plurality of plate driving teeth which are arranged at an inner circumferential surface of the same so as to be distributed in the circumferential direction and which extend in a longitudinal direction of the ring. A flywheel is connected with the toothed ring at a first end of the same so as to rotate jointly therewith. A cover is connected with the toothed ring at a second end for joint rotation, wherein at least one of the flywheel and cover is connected with the toothed ring by a fastening arrangement. The fastening arrangement includes, in at least one of the plate driving teeth, a recess extending in the longitudinal direction of the ring and opening toward the one of either the flywheel and cover, and a fastening bolt element which is associated with this recess and which penetrates a fastening opening of either the flywheel or cover and projects into the associated recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignee: Sachs Race Engineering GmbH
    Inventors: Udo Pinschmidt, Thomas Rudolf, Werner Selzam, Claus Orth, Horst Friedrich, Klaus Hofmann
  • Patent number: 6035986
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a plate clutch with a housing having a front cover and axially projecting feet. The feet are provided with longitudinal bores through which fastening screws are guided. The fastening screws are constructed as expansion screws with a middle region which is reduced in diameter. The feet are provided with radial ventilation openings in the reduced diameter region of the fastening screws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Klaus Hofmann, Thomas Rudolf, Horst Friedrich, Claus Orth, Werner Selzam, Jurgen Loibersbeck
  • Patent number: 5996757
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a plate clutch with improved heat removal characteristics. For this purpose, additional axial and radial aerating openings are arranged in the torque-transmitting teeth of the clutch housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Klaus Hofmann, Thomas Rudolf, Horst Friedrich, Claus Orth, Werner Selzam, Jurgen Loibersbeck
  • Patent number: 5960921
    Abstract: A friction clutch with a diaphragm spring which is fixed by a plurality of screws or rivets introduced at the housing. Each of these screws or rivets is surrounded by a spacer sleeve which is clamped between the housing and a circumferentially extending ring. Centering shoulders are provided in the ring for fixing the spacer sleeves, especially during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Klaus Hofmann, Claus Orth, Thomas Goppner, Klaus Betten
  • Patent number: 5857546
    Abstract: A multiple-disk friction clutch, especially for motor vehicles, with a hub which has an internal toothing and can be placed on a gear shaft so as to be rotationally fixed relative thereto. At least two clutch disks are connected with the hub so as to be rotationally fixed relative thereto and project radially beyond the hub. A stop which guides the hub axially relative to the clutch disks is provided between the clutch disks. The hub is formed of two parts and includes a hub body having an outer toothing and a hub ring which has the same outer toothing and sits on a radial shoulder of the hub body. The outer toothing of the hub ring is offset by one tooth relative to the toothing of the hub body to form the stop for the clutch disks. The hub body and the hub ring are connected with one another so as to be rotationally fixed relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AG
    Inventors: Klaus Hofmann, Rolf Munz, Wilfried Pfeuffer, Elmar Unsleber
  • Patent number: 5779018
    Abstract: A friction clutch, preferably a multi-plate clutch, in which the pressure plate is made of carbon material and has a wear-resistant surface coating and/or an inserted wire ring in the contact area for the diaphragm spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Klaus Hofmann, Klaus Betten, Nicole Unrath, Horst Friedrich
  • Patent number: 5761231
    Abstract: A process and circuit arrangement for regulating the luminous power of a laser diode in an optoelectronic point-by-point or line recording device for recording information on a recording material. A deviation is determined by comparing a luminous power set value to a measured luminous power real value. A fast regulator generates a regulating current based on the deviation. A slow regulator with storage capabilities generates a working point regulating current that determines the working point on a laser diode characteristic curve and that is added to the regulating current to provide the driving current of the laser diode. The luminous power set value and the slow regulator are used during the switching-on periods of the laser diodes at the beginning of the recording periods and during preliminary periods that precede the recording periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1998
    Assignee: Linotype-Hell AG
    Inventors: Thomas Philipp Jakob Ofenloch, Klaus Hofmann
  • Patent number: 5743367
    Abstract: A multiple plate friction clutch with a hub which has external gearing and a peripheral groove. A ring or a ring segment is placed in this groove and is used to fix the hub in place axially with respect to the clutch plates, which are non-rotationally engaged by means of internal gearing with the external gearing of the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AG
    Inventors: Klaus Hofmann, Klaus Betten, Jurgen Loibersbeck, Thomas Schubert, Peter Wiggen
  • Patent number: 5399248
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a clamping device for gravure printing cylinders to be processed in an electroplating plant. The clamping device for gravure printing cylinders to be processed in an electroplating plant is equipped, in accordance with a first basic solution, with an interchange holder (1) for a plurality of cone sleeves (2) which have an inside diameter adapted to different spindle ends of various gravure printing cylinders, so that adaptation to a respective identical receiving cone quill (8) is made possible and in the same electroplating plant a plurality of different printing cylinders can be continuously successively processed without the complicated fitting and removal of different collet chucks. According to a second basic solution the interchange holder and the different cone sleeves are not required for the clamping device. Instead, a hardened cone sleeve (21) is used as essential clamping element and clamping is effected with very high contact pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: Maschinenfabrik Kaspar Walter GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Rudiger Ettelbruck, Klaus Hofmann
  • Patent number: 5315226
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a synchronous motor with an AC voltage. A rated value proportional to a desired frequency of the AC voltage and related to a rotational speed of the synchronous motor is provided. The rated value is continuously added up in an accumulator to provide added-up signal values. The added-up signal values are employed for addressing stored function values in a function value memory, the function values representing at least one AC voltage. The addressed function values are read out from the function value memory and are converted into at least one AC voltage having the frequency corresponding to the rated value. The AC voltage is supplied to the synchronous motor for generating a rotary field such that the frequency of the AC voltage defines the rotational speed of the synchronous motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1994
    Assignee: Linotype-Hell AG
    Inventors: Ewald Fehlauer, Klaus Hofmann
  • Patent number: 5230955
    Abstract: Thermoplastically re-formable plastic sheets with flameproofing means, characterized by a core layer 1-10 mm thick comprised of polyether sulfone or a similar thermoplastic, which core material has a content of at least 0.5 wt. %, preferably at least 2 wt. %, of a flame-protective additive, such as boron trioxide; and said sheet or plate further characterized by outer layers, firmly adhering to and covering the two faces of the core layer, at least 0.05 mm thick and comprised of a thermoplastic having a lower proportional content of the flame-protective additives than the core layer; are particularly useful for interior structures in passenger conveyances, such as airplanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1993
    Assignees: Rohm GmbH Chemische Fabrik, BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Otto Diroll, Klaus Hofmann, Uwe Jacobsen, Hans Lorenz, Gunther Schreyer, Peter R. Szigeti, Hermann Buchert, Wolfgang Eberle, Gerhard Heinz, Eckhard Koch
  • Patent number: 5207804
    Abstract: Coupling products of diazotized o- or p-toluidines to 3-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid p-anisidide do not produce optimum dyeing properties in HT exhaustion dyeing of wound packages of synthetic fiber materials. Filtration occurs time after time under critical conditions, since these single dyestuffs and also mixtures of these with one another build up too slowly in the heating-up phase.A bright red multi-component system of the same color shade, which exhibits a significantly improved exhaustion capacity by synergism during HT dyeing of wound packages and no longer presents difficulties in respect of filtration, can be obtained by mixing monoazo dyestuffs which are obtained by coupling diazotized aniline and p-toluidine in each case to 3-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid p-anisidide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Reinhard Kuhn, Margareta Boos, Rudolf Binder, Klaus Hofmann
  • Patent number: 5174791
    Abstract: Process for dyeing and printing blended fabrics made from polyester and natural fibre materials, characterized in that the dye baths, padding liquors or printing pastes contain compounds of general formula (I). Dye preparations containing one or more compounds of general formula (I).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1992
    Assignee: Cassella Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ulrich Buhler, Klaus Hofmann, Hubert Kruse, Jurgen Kuhlwein, Willi Steckelberg
  • Patent number: 5105980
    Abstract: An apparatus for transferring a deck washer from a storage magazine containing a stack of deck washers to a deck for installation. The transfer is accomplished by a reciprocating trolley which retrieves a washer from the stack and whose reciprocation urges the washer down a ramp on the trolley in to a holding chamber for installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1992
    Assignee: Construction Fastners, Inc.
    Inventor: Klaus Hofmann
  • Patent number: 5102425
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the dyeing and printing of blended fabrics made of polyester and natural fibre materials, characterized in that the polyester portion of the blended fabric is dyed and printed using one or more disperse dyes of the general formula I ##STR1## in which R is methyl, ethyl or alkyl having 2 or 3 C atoms, which is substituted by alkoxy having 1 to 3 C atoms, andR.sup.1 is alkyl having 1 to 3 atoms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1992
    Assignee: Cassella Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ulrich Buhler, Klaus Hofmann, Margareta Boos, Reinhard Kuhn
  • Patent number: 5089589
    Abstract: The preparation of novolaks from phenols or mixtures of different phenols, and oxo compounds or mixtures of oxo compounds by condensation of the reactants in a medium having a low water content in homogeneous phase at temperature of .gtoreq.110.degree. C., preferably between 115.degree. and 200.degree. C. and preferably at normal pressure, in the presence of water-immiscible and/or only partially water-miscible inert organic solvents and of acids as catalysts with removal of water by distillation, the medium having a low water content being prepared or maintained by distilling off water from the reaction mixture, preferably by azeotropic distillation. Particular advantages are obtained when readily volatile oxo compounds, in particular aqueous formaldehyde solutions, are used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 18, 1992
    Assignee: Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfgang Hesse, Klaus Hofmann, Erhard Leicht