Patents by Inventor Lothar Kunze

Lothar Kunze 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: 6322165
    Abstract: An electronically controllable brake actuation system for motor vehicles is proposed, with a master brake cylinder (2), with a pressureless pressure medium reservoir (3), with a pressure source (20) which can be controlled by means of an electronic control unit (32), by means of which pressure can be applied to the wheel brakes (7, 8, 9, 10) of the vehicle, which can be connected by means of at least one hydraulic connection (11, 14), which can be shut off by means of a separating valve (12, 15), to the master brake cylinder (2), with a device (13, 33) for the recognition of the driver's wish to slow down, and with at least one separating piston arrangement (16) which is connected before the wheel brakes (7-10), where the first chamber (17) of this separating piston arrangement can be connected to the master brake cylinder (2), and its second chamber (19) can be connected through a valve device (27) to the pressure source (20) or to the pressure medium reservoir (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co., OHG
    Inventors: Andreas Klein, Ulrich Neumann, Wolfgang Schieblich, Johan Jungbecker, Lothar Kunze, Manfred Rüffer, Ronald Bayer, Bernhard Schmittner
  • Patent number: 5829557
    Abstract: An electromechanically actuated disc brake system for motor vehicles comprising a floating caliper and an actuating unit mounted with the caliper. The actuating unit is an electric motor which, by interpolation of a reducing gear, powers an actuating element, which in turn controls one of two sliding friction linings mounted inside the brake caliper, to interact with the disc brake. With the intent to reduce axial dimensions of the actuating unit, the present invention includes an electric motor with a rotor of ring-shaped design to radially surround the reducing gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1998
    Assignee: ITT Automotive Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Halasy-Wimmer, Karlheinz Bill, Jurgen Balz, Lothar Kunze, Stefan Schmitt
  • 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: 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: 5147007
    Abstract: A hydraulic power steering system for automotive vehicles wherein the hydraulic power assistance takes place only above a predetermined steering power. A power cylinder (6) is coupled to a mechanical steering assembly, a pump (19, 36), and a control valve (12). In order to achieve safety in operation and a simple arrangement of the power steering system, a slide of a component (2) of the mechanical steering assembly is slidable with respect to the vehicle body. The slide is effected by the steering power overcoming a prestressing power, serves for the mechanical actuation of the control valve (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: Alfred Teves GmbH
    Inventors: Manfred Kahrs, Lothar Kunze, Joachim Baier, Gerhard Kunz, Bernhard Moeller, Wilhelm Beer, Hans-G. Krines, Gerhardt Schudt
  • Patent number: 4648420
    Abstract: A control valve with a control slider (9) comprising bead-type areas (17, 18, 19), by means of which the control slider is slidably arranged in the cylinder bore (8). The areas (17) and (18) isolate the inlet (2) from the outlet (3), while the area (19) isolates the outlet (3) from the leakage oil port (4). The clearance between the areas (17) and (18) of the control slider (9) and the wall of the cylinder bore (8) is smaller than the clearance between the area (19) of the control slider (9) and the wall of the cylinder bore (8). The output pressure is kept within close tolerances with only minor leakage losses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1985
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1987
    Assignee: Alfred Teves GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Kunze, Rolf Greeb, Ralf Bender
  • Patent number: 4474045
    Abstract: The spring guide rail has several centering fingers and a bottom rail and is made out of a one-piece sheet metal strip into which substantially rectangular recesses are punched so that a ladder-type structure is formed with a pair of longitudinal bars being interconnected by cross bars. By repeated bending operations around given longitudinal axes the two parts of the bottom rail are formed by the longitudinal bars and the centering fingers are formed by the cross bars. Between the sections of the cross bars folded to face each other there is a space and in the bottom rail area projections are arranged which ensure the spacing between the opposite parts of the bottom rail. Thus, a simple and stable spring guide rail with a safe guidance is provided for the vane lifting springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1984
    Assignee: ITT Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Lothar Kunze, Harald Vogt, Bruen Stadler, Anton Herr
  • Patent number: 4256443
    Abstract: A rotary vane-type engine includes a rotor, a cam ring surrounding the rotor, and working vanes slidably disposed in radial slots of the rotor and engaging with one of their ends the inner contour of the cam ring. The vanes subdivide the space formed between the rotor and the cam ring into working spaces which are limited axially by side plates. Control ports provided in the side plates have throttle channels which extend in the rotor circumferential direction and connect the working spaces arranged on either side of the throttle channel with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1979
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1981
    Assignee: ITT Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Lothar Kunze, Manfred Kahrs