Patents by Inventor Ludger Graute

Ludger Graute 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: 11959314
    Abstract: A motor vehicle lock with a locking mechanism and a lock housing structure, a motorized drive arrangement to actuate a mechanical lock component, a control unit for the actuation of the drive arrangement, and an energy storage arrangement for the electric voltage supply of the drive arrangement and/or the control unit being provided in or on the lock housing structure. The lock housing structure has an inner housing part attached to the locking mechanism and the drive arrangement, a housing cover for closing an upper side of the inner housing part, and, between the inner housing part and the housing cover, a control housing part including a control board of the control unit and the energy storage arrangement, and leadframe lines extending at least in sections along the board plane and connected electrically via the leadframe lines of the leadframe to the control board and drive arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Brose Schließsysteme Gmbh & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Wuppertal
    Inventors: Ludger Graute, René Bekendam
  • Publication number: 20240044182
    Abstract: A force-transmission device for an actuation mechanism of a movable vehicle element. The force-transmission device includes a movably held force-transmission element, a Bowden cable element having an end, an end piece fastened to the end of the Bowden cable element, and a stop. The movably held force-transmission element is held in a manner preloaded in a first direction into an end position by a preload force and is movable in a second direction opposite to the first direction in order to transmit an actuating force for the actuation mechanism. The end piece of the Bowden cable element is held against the movably held force-transmission element. The movably held force-transmission element transmits, in the end position, at least a portion of the preload force to the end piece of the Bowden cable element, and the end piece is held so as to be pressed against the stop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventor: Ludger GRAUTE
  • Publication number: 20230374827
    Abstract: A motor vehicle lock having a striker plate and at least one pawl, wherein the striker plate can be set to an open position and to at least one closed position, wherein the pawl can be set to an engaged position, in which it holds the striker plate in the at least one closed position, and into a raised position, in which it releases the striker plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Applicant: Brose Schließsysteme GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft
    Inventors: Ludger GRAUTE, Markus ZILLERT, Serkan GÜLKAN
  • Publication number: 20230295964
    Abstract: A lock for a closure element and comprises a locking-mechanism arrangement having a latch, a catch and a catch-switching lever, wherein the latch can be pivoted, about a latch axis, into at least one locking position, in each of which it is retained in engagement with a locking part, and into an open position wherein the catch can be pivoted into an engagement position, in which the latch located in the respective locking position is locked by the catch so that it cannot pivot, about a catch axis, in its opening direction, and a disengagement position, in which the catch frees the latch in its opening direction, and wherein the catch-switching lever can be pivoted, about a catch-pivoting-lever axis, into an actuating position, in which a sensor is activated by the catch-switching lever, and into a neutral position, in which the sensor is not actuated by the catch-switching lever.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Ludger Graute, Thomas Klemmstein, Arkadi Bogorats
  • Publication number: 20230160237
    Abstract: A motor vehicle lock including a latch pivotable about a latch axis to an opening position and to a closing position. In the assembled state, the latch is in retaining engagement with a striker in the closing position, and in the opening position, the latch releases the striker, a blocking mechanism configured to be brought into a blocking state to block the latch in the closing position, and configured to be brought into a release state to release the latch to the opening position. The blocking mechanism including a pawl assembly including a pawl pivotally mounted via a pivot bearing and configured for blocking engagement with the latch. A crash blocking surface is provided so during a crash, when the pawl or the pivot bearing yields from deformation, an engaging surface of the pawl engages the crash blocking surface, to dissipate crash forces the crash blocking surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Applicant: Brose Schließsysteme GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft
    Inventor: Ludger GRAUTE
  • Patent number: 11608660
    Abstract: A motor-vehicle lock has a latch mechanism, catch, has and an actuating lever, of which the actuation from a starting position into an actuating position makes it possible to disengage the catch, wherein the motor-vehicle lock has a crash element, which can be adjusted from a normal state into a crash state, in which the crash element blocks the actuating lever in a blocking position or uncouples it from the catch, wherein the crash element is coupled to the actuating lever such that, when the actuating lever is actuated at an actuating speed above a limit actuating speed, the crash element latches in the crash state. With the crash element latched in the crash state, a restoring action of the actuating lever into the starting position causes the latching action to be reversed and the crash element to be adjusted into the normal state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Brose Schliessysteme GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Ludger Graute
  • Patent number: 11555340
    Abstract: A motor vehicle lock in a fitted state interacts with a striker. The motor vehicle lock includes an adjustable catch and an adjustable locking pawl. The catch is adjustable into a main locking state and into an opening state, and the locking pawl is adjustable into an entry state, and into a lifted state. The motor vehicle lock includes a tensioning mechanism. When the catch is in the main locking state and the locking pawl is in the entry state, the tensioning mechanism can be brought into a tensioned state in which the tensioning mechanism introduces a mechanical preload into the catch in its opening direction. The tensioning mechanism can be brought into a relaxed state, in which the preload originating from the tensioning mechanism is reduced or cancelled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Brose Schliesssysteme GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Tatjana Schmidt, Serkan Guelkan, Ludger Graute
  • Publication number: 20220259898
    Abstract: A motor vehicle lock including a latch and a pawl assembly associated with the latch including a pawl, the pawl assembly, in a blocking state, blocks the lock latch in a locking position, and a trigger assembly; the trigger assembly configured to actuate the pawl assembly out of the blocking state during an opening process; and a draw-in assembly including a coupling lever pivotable to a coupling position, for coupling to the lock latch to lock the lock latch. The closing assembly including an ejector lever including an ejector contour for ejecting the coupling lever, in an ejection position, out of engagement from the pawl, and a trigger section, in an emergency actuation, configured to engage the ejector lever via at least part of the closing process to eject the coupling lever and disengaged from the ejector lever during at least part of the opening process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Applicant: Brose Schließsysteme GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft
    Inventors: Ludger GRAUTE, Roman JOSCHKO, Thomas KLEMMSTEIN
  • Patent number: 11371268
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a motor vehicle lock with a lock mechanism and with a lock housing to receive the lock mechanism, wherein the lock mechanism comprises at least one activating lever which can swivel about a geometrical lever axis, wherein a bearing sleeve element is provided, on which the activating lever is radially mounted, wherein the activating lever is mounted on the bearing sleeve element axially at both sides and for this it is coupled to the bearing sleeve element by a bayonet fitting and in the process of installing the motor vehicle lock the activating lever and the bearing sleeve element can be premounted to form a separate unit by creating the bayonet fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Brose Schliesssysteme GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ludger Graute, Roman Joschko, Andreas Hoffmann, Pan Ren
  • Publication number: 20220090419
    Abstract: A motor vehicle including a latch and a pawl, the latch is adjustable between an open position and a locked position, the pawl is adjustable between a lowered position and a raised position, a drive arrangement which, in an opening movement, adjusts an adjusting arrangement such that the adjusting arrangement raises the pawl, an actuating lever and a clutch arrangement arranged between the actuating lever and the pawl, in the disengaging state, the actuating stroke of the actuating lever is an idle stroke with regard to the raising of the pawl and in the engaging state, the pawl is able to be raised via the actuating stroke of the actuating lever, the adjusting arrangement with the opening movement, shifts the clutch arrangement from the disengaging state to the engaging state. An unlocking movement shifts the clutch arrangement from the disengaging state into the engaging state via the adjusting arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicant: Brose Schließsysteme GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Wuppertal
    Inventors: Ludger GRAUTE, Andreas HOFFMANN, Markus ZILLERT
  • Publication number: 20220090418
    Abstract: A motor vehicle lock includes a lock latch, at least one pawl, an electric drive arrangement, and a drive controller. The drive controller controls the drive arrangement to carry out an opening movement that adjusts an adjusting arrangement of the lock from a starting position to a raising position of the adjusting arrangement, in which the adjusting arrangement raises the pawl. A clutch arrangement is arranged between an actuating lever and the pawl, wherein, in an intermediate position, the adjusting arrangement shifts, in the opening movement, the clutch arrangement out of the disengaging state into the engaging state, before the adjusting arrangement raises the pawl when the raising position is reached. In an unlocking routine, the controller controls the drive arrangement to start the opening movement, and, responsive to an intermediate position criterion representative being met, modifies the control such that the adjusting arrangement does not reach the raising position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Applicant: Brose Schließsysteme GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Wuppertal
    Inventors: Ludger GRAUTE, Markus ZILLERT, Serkan GÜLKAN, Andreas HOFFMANN
  • Patent number: 11078689
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a motor vehicle lock, wherein the motor vehicle lock comprises an actuating lever which is pivotable about an actuating lever axis. The motor vehicle lock has an adjustable crash element which is adjustable into a released position in which the locking pawl is disengageable by an actuation of the actuating lever and into a crash position in which the crash element blocks the actuating lever in a blocked position or decouples the actuating lever from the locking pawl. It is proposed that the crash element is coupled to the actuating lever such that, with an actuation of the actuating lever and depending on the actuating lever speed, the crash element reaches the released position from a central position either in a first adjusting direction or the crash element reaches the crash position in a second adjusting direction and is latched in the crash position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Brose Schliesssysteme GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ludger Graute, David Rosales
  • Publication number: 20200386016
    Abstract: A motor vehicle lock with a locking mechanism and a lock housing structure, a motorized drive arrangement to actuate a mechanical lock component, a control unit for the actuation of the drive arrangement, and an energy storage arrangement for the electric voltage supply of the drive arrangement and/or the control unit being provided in or on the lock housing structure. The lock housing structure has an inner housing part attached to the locking mechanism and the drive arrangement, a housing cover for closing an upper side of the inner housing part, and, between the inner housing part and the housing cover, a control housing part including a control board of the control unit and the energy storage arrangement, and leadframe lines extending at least in sections along the board plane and connected electrically via the leadframe lines of the leadframe to the control board and drive arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Applicant: Brose Schließsysteme GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Wuppertal
    Inventors: Ludger GRAUTE, René BEKENDAM
  • Publication number: 20190211588
    Abstract: The invention relates to a motor vehicle lock with a lock mechanism and with a lock housing to receive the lock mechanism, wherein the lock mechanism comprises at least one activating lever which can swivel about a geometrical lever axis, wherein a bearing sleeve element is provided, on which the activating lever is radially mounted, wherein the activating lever is mounted on the bearing sleeve element axially at both sides and for this it is coupled to the bearing sleeve element by a bayonet fitting and in the process of installing the motor vehicle lock the activating lever and the bearing sleeve element can be premounted to form a separate unit by creating the bayonet fitting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Inventors: Ludger Graute, Roman Joschko, Andreas Hoffmann, Pan Ren
  • Publication number: 20190145133
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a motor vehicle lock, wherein the motor vehicle lock comprises an actuating lever which is pivotable about an actuating lever axis. The motor vehicle lock has an adjustable crash element which is adjustable into a released position in which the locking pawl is disengageable by an actuation of the actuating lever and into a crash position in which the crash element blocks the actuating lever in a blocked position or decouples the actuating lever from the locking pawl. It is proposed that the crash element is coupled to the actuating lever such that, with an actuation of the actuating lever and depending on the actuating lever speed, the crash element reaches the released position from a central position either in a first adjusting direction or the crash element reaches the crash position in a second adjusting direction and is latched in the crash position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Publication date: May 16, 2019
    Inventors: Ludger Graute, David Rosales
  • Publication number: 20180371803
    Abstract: A motor-vehicle lock has a latch mechanism, catch and an actuating lever, of which the actuation from a starting position into an actuating position makes it possible to disengage the catch, wherein the motor-vehicle lock has a crash element, which can be adjusted from a normal state into a crash state, in which the crash element blocks the actuating lever in a blocking position or uncouples it from the catch, wherein the crash element is coupled to the actuating lever such that, when the actuating lever is actuated at an actuating speed above a limit actuating speed, the crash element latches in the crash state. With the crash element latched in the crash state, a restoring action of the actuating lever into the starting position causes the latching action to be reversed and the crash element to be adjusted into the normal state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventor: Ludger Graute
  • Patent number: 10100558
    Abstract: The invention relates to a locking aid drive for a motor vehicle lock, with a drive housing, the locking aid drive being coupleable in terms of drive to the motor vehicle lock via a Bowden cable with Bowden cable core and Bowden cable sheath, and a driving motor with a downstream feed mechanism for producing driving movements and a coupling element for transferring the driving movements being provided. It is proposed that the coupling element can be brought, in particular by means of the drive motor, into at least one coupling position in which said coupling element is accessible from the outside for the production of a coupling of the Bowden cable to the coupling element, and otherwise is inaccessible from the outside for the production of a coupling of the Bowden cable to the coupling element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Brose Schliesssysteme GmbH & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft
    Inventors: Ludger Graute, Oleg Simkin, Axel Bettin, Axel Kamberg
  • Publication number: 20180258671
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to an auxiliary locking drive for a motor vehicle lock, wherein the auxiliary locking drive, in the fitted state, provides an auxiliary locking drive train which has an auxiliary locking drive motor and a planetary gearing which is connected downstream of the auxiliary locking drive motor and has the following gearing elements: a sun gear, a planet gear carrier and a ring gear, wherein a first gearing element of the planetary gearing is coupled or is couplable to the auxiliary locking drive motor and a second gearing element of the planetary gearing is coupled or is couplable to the lock latch, wherein a switchable fixing device is provided, with which, for producing and releasing a drive coupling between the first gearing element and the second gearing element, the in each case third gearing element of the planetary gearing is fixable and releasable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Inventors: Ludger Graute, Axel Bettin, Carsten Bruchsteiner
  • Publication number: 20180187463
    Abstract: A motor vehicle lock in a fitted state interacts with a striker. The motor vehicle lock includes an adjustable catch and an adjustable locking pawl. The catch is adjustable into a main locking state and into an opening state, and the locking pawl is adjustable into an entry state, and into a lifted state. The motor vehicle lock includes a tensioning mechanism. When the catch is in the main locking state and the locking pawl is in the entry state, the tensioning mechanism can be brought into a tensioned state in which the tensioning mechanism introduces a mechanical preload into the catch in its opening direction. The tensioning mechanism can be brought into a relaxed state, in which the preload originating from the tensioning mechanism is reduced or cancelled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Tatjana Schmidt, Serkan Guelkan, Ludger Graute
  • Patent number: 9638299
    Abstract: The invention relates to an actuating device for joint action upon at least two different elements of a motor vehicle door lock, with at least one sheathed cable having a core and sheath, wherein the sheathed cable is provided in the longitudinal extent thereof with at least two force transmission units which are designed for interaction with a first element at one end and with a second element at the other end upon action on the sheathed cable, and one of the two elements is designed as an actuating lever, wherein the other element is a closing/opening element operating on a locking mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Kiekert Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ulrich Nass, Christian Barmscheidt, Carsten Fuchs, Ludger Graute