Patents by Inventor Ludwig Winkelmann

Ludwig Winkelmann 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: 20020116924
    Abstract: A master cylinder for use in the power train of a motor vehicle to actuate the brakes or the friction clutch is designed to avoid the generation of screeching noise and/or the transmission of stray movements to the piston rod in response to shifting of the piston relative to the housing and relative to the sealing element(s) between the piston and the housing. This can be accomplished by causing the piston to turn relative to the housing and the sealing element(s) during axial movement in the housing and/or by installing one or more dampers between the piston and the housing and/or between the piston and the piston rod. The dampers can constitute separately produced parts and/or specially configured and/or finished surfaces provided on the piston and contacting the housing and/or the sealing element(s). The invention also relates to improvements in the configuration and/or the material(s) of the piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Applicant: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbH
    Inventors: Ludwig Winkelmann, Rainer Venz, Ulrich Helfmeier, Dieter Adler, Uwe Stratil, Thomas Bertelshofer, Karl-Ludwig Grell, Harald Peschke, Roland Welter
  • Patent number: 6394253
    Abstract: A slave cylinder which serves to disengage the friction clutch between the output shaft of the engine and the transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle has a housing affixed to the case of the transmission and having an internal surface coaxial with and spacedly surrounding the cylindrical external surface of a hollow cylindrical guide coaxial with and surrounding the output shaft. An annular piston of the slave cylinder is reciprocable between the two cylindrical surfaces and carries a clutch release bearing at one end. The other end of the piston is adjacent an annular plenum chamber of the slave cylinder. An annular seal between an end portion of the guide at the transmission case and an adjacent annular centering portion of the housing is installed in such a way that it does not extend radially outwardly beyond the internal surface of the housing, i.e., radially of and beyond the plenum chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbH
    Inventors: Gerhard Meyer, Ludwig Winkelmann, Dieter Adler
  • Patent number: 6328148
    Abstract: A hydraulic clutch release mechanism, particularly for use in the power train of a motor vehicle, employs a circular piston which is reciprocable in a plenum chamber between a cylindrical housing and a guide centrally located within the housing. One end portion of the piston is form-lockingly connected with a plastic seal at the plenum chamber. Such form-locking connection is provided adjacent one of two lips forming part of the seal. The one lip engages the external surface of the guide and the other lip engages the internal surface of the housing and is adjacent another form-locking connection established between the seal and an annular plastic or metallic retainer which is affixed to the piston with limited axial play. The other end portion of the piston is operatively connected with a clutch, e.g., by way of a release bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbH
    Inventors: Ludwig Winkelmann, Gerhard Meyer
  • Publication number: 20010047918
    Abstract: The abstract relates to a hydraulic clutch release system, particularly for motor vehicles. The system 1 has a master cylinder and a slave cylinder, and the slave cylinder has a piston 7 which is annular in form and works inside an annular cylinder 2. The leading end of the cylinder is fitted with a seal 9 which is mounted on a one-piece seal carrier 10a through an undercut part of the carrier in which the seal fits without leaving any empty space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Publication date: December 6, 2001
    Applicant: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbH
    Inventors: Hartmut Koschmieder, Walter Parzefall, Ludwig Winkelmann, Harald Peschke
  • Patent number: 6283266
    Abstract: A hydraulic clutch release mechanism has a clutch pedal-operated master cylinder connected with the clutch release member (such as a fork or a bearing) by way of a conduit or by way of a slave cylinder and a conduit. The sealing but separable connection between at least one of the cylinders and the respective conduit comprises a T-shaped fitting having a first section sealingly connected with an end portion of the respective conduit and a second section coupled to the housing of the at least one cylinder by snap action. The fitting further carries a relief valve which opens when the pressure of hydraulic fluid in a plenum chamber of the at least one cylinder rises to a preselected value. The fitting and/or the housing and/or the body of the valve and/or the end portion of the conduit consists of or contains a suitable plastic material, such as polyamide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Welter, Gerhard Meyer, Ludwig Winkelmann
  • Patent number: 6273231
    Abstract: A hydraulic clutch release system, particularly for motor vehicles has a master cylinder and a slave cylinder, and the slave cylinder has a piston 7 which is annular in form and works inside an annular cylinder 2. The leading end of the cylinder is fitted with a seal 9 which is mounted on a one-piece seal carrier 10a through an undercut part of the carrier in which the seal fits without leaving any empty space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbH
    Inventors: Hartmut Koschmieder, Walter Parzefall, Ludwig Winkelmann, Harald Peschke
  • Publication number: 20010011626
    Abstract: A slave cylinder which serves to disengage the friction clutch between the output shaft of the engine and the transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle has a housing affixed to the case of the transmission and having an internal surface coaxial with and spacedly surrounding the cylindrical external surface of a hollow cylindrical guide coaxial with and surrounding the output shaft. An annular piston of the slave cylinder is reciprocable between the two cylindrical surfaces and carries a clutch release bearing at one end. The other end of the piston is adjacent an annular plenum chamber of the slave cylinder. An annular seal between an end portion of the guide at the transmission case and an adjacent annular centering portion of the housing is installed in such a way that it does not extend radially outwardly beyond the internal surface of the housing, i.e., radially of and beyond the plenum chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Publication date: August 9, 2001
    Applicant: Luk Lamellen Kupplungsbau Gmbh
    Inventors: Gerhard Meyer, Ludwig Winkelmann, Dieter Adler
  • Publication number: 20010004038
    Abstract: A hydraulic clutch release mechanism, particularly for use in the power train of a motor vehicle, employs a circular piston which is reciprocable in a plenum chamber between a cylindrical housing and a guide centrally located within the housing. One end portion of the piston is form-lockingly connected with a plastic seal at the plenum chamber. Such form-locking connection is provided adjacent one of two lips forming part of the seal. The one lip engages the external surface of the guide and the other lip engages the internal surface of the housing and is adjacent another form-locking connection established between the seal and an annular plastic or metallic retainer which is affixed to the piston with limited axial play. The other end portion of the piston is operatively connected with a clutch, e.g., by way of a release bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2001
    Publication date: June 21, 2001
    Inventors: Ludwig Winkelmann, Gerhard Meyer
  • Patent number: 6244409
    Abstract: A hydraulically operated central release unit for a motor vehicle clutch is designed as a slave cylinder that is arranged inside a clutch housing. The central release unit includes a housing in which a ring piston is movably guided. The ring piston has a groove ring seal with lips sealingly contacting the sealing tracks. To reduce the wear on the sealing lips and to avoid squeaking noises of the groove ring seal, the surfaces of the sealing tracks are provided with micro cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbH
    Inventors: Ludwig Winkelmann, Gerhard Meyer, Bernd Liebezeit, Gerhard Prosch
  • Patent number: 6076645
    Abstract: A hydraulically controlled disconnect system for a friction clutch of motor vehicles is provided and is constructed as a slave cylinder which includes a pressure housing (2) which is arranged concentrically in relation to a gear box input shaft (3). A guiding sleeve is arranged radially apart from the pressure housing to create a circularly configured pressure chamber (9) in which a ring piston (7) is axially guided and movable. A reinforced seal (8a) on the pressure chamber side of the ring piston (7). The seal (8a) includes sealing lips (14, 15) which are arranged radially spread apart. In accordance with the invention, the reinforcement (18a) of the seal (8a) is held form-locking on the ring piston (7) with a degree of axial and radial freedom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: INA Walzlager Schaeffler oHG
    Inventors: Ludwig Winkelmann, Harald Peschke
  • Patent number: 5496113
    Abstract: The invention concerns a linear bearing element mounted on the running race of a guide rail and comprising, on at least one of its two front ends, a wiper which bears by an end region against the running face to retain lubricant in the linear bearing element, at lease one lubricant supply device, with its inlet end connected to an outer supply duct and its outlet, end connected with the bearing region being arranged on or in the bearing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: Ina Walzlager Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Ludwig Winkelmann, Hartmut Koschmieder
  • Patent number: 5399023
    Abstract: The invention concerns a wiper unit for a bearing component, preferably a linear rolling bearing component, mounted on a raceway of a guide rail and comprising at each front end, a wiper retained by a carrier plate, the wiper being provided with lubricant canals for supplying lubricant to the bearing component, and an end region of the wiper resting on the raceway to retain lubricant in the bearing component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: Ina Walzlager Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Ludwig Winkelmann, Hartmut Koschmieder, Steffen Kotzsch