Patents by Inventor Manfred Rüffer

Manfred Rüffer 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: 11885384
    Abstract: A pot-shaped composite brake rotor for motor vehicles, which combines at least one securing component as a hub interface with at least one friction ring component (as a friction partner for at least one friction lining. Distinction is made between a torque transmission function a fixing function between the paired components by the provision of a heat-conductive joint interface between the components on one side. The components are assembled coaxially with one another and joined rotationally fixedly in the axial direction so that the securing component serves as a heat sink for the friction ring component. At least one fixing element between the components is provided separately, and this fixing element substantially exclusively (nominal load) performs a fixing function by mutual form fit by a radially directed engagement behind at least one undercut. A press-fit connection s present for torque transmission between the securing component and the friction ring component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventors: Uwe Bach, Hans-Peter Metzen, Ahmed Sefo, Jens Hoffmann, Manfred Rüffer
  • Patent number: 11827195
    Abstract: A pedal operating unit having a brake pedal, which is mounted to be pivotable about a first pivot, and a restoring mechanism, wherein the restoring mechanism is designed to apply a restoring force to the brake pedal in the direction of its rest position when the brake pedal is deflected out of the rest position thereof. The restoring mechanism has at least one first restoring device and one second restoring device. An increase in the restoring force is effected, in particular exclusively, by the first restoring device over a first angular range of a pivoting movement of the brake pedal about the first pivot, and an increase in the restoring force is effected, in particular exclusively, by the second restoring device over a second angular range of a pivoting movement of the brake pedal about the first pivot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventors: Sebastian Biba, Manfred Rüffer, Andreas Bischoff, Horst Krämer
  • Patent number: 11590948
    Abstract: A fluid container for supplying a consuming device with a working fluid, including at least one connector piece having a shut-off valve arranged therein for preventing undesired escaping of the working fluid from the fluid container. In order to increase safety against undesired emptying of the fluid container, it is provided that the valve closure body, in the closed state of the shut-off valve, is accommodated in the fluid container completely inside a contour formed by an outer edge of the connector piece, and provision is made, for support against the valve closure body, of a support, which, upon insertion of the connector piece into the receiving seat, engages at least regionally into the connecting duct and in this way displaces the valve closure body in the connecting duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Werner Krebs, Horst Krämer, Manfred Rüffer, Stephan Schlicht, Jörg Loke, Zdenek Rozsypal, Jaroslav Masek
  • Patent number: 11535220
    Abstract: A fluid container for releasable connection to a vehicle component, wherein the fluid container has at least one fastening lug with an opening which is aligned with a plug-through opening in the vehicle component and the connection is secured by a locking pin which can be extended into the plug-through opening and the opening and/or opening and can be locked in an end position by a rectilinear plug-in movement in a plug-in direction; in order to increase the load-bearing capacity of the connection and to simplify the installation, it is proposed that the fastening lug has a locking device which is arranged in alignment with the respective opening and the locking device includes at least two elastically resilient tabs which act in a latching manner on a thickened locking portion of the locking pin and thereby secure the locking pin in its axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Inventors: Manfred Rüffer, Horst Krämer, Kerima Mertz, Milan Jagos, Paul Wiebe
  • Publication number: 20220306055
    Abstract: A pedal operating unit having a brake pedal, which is mounted to be pivotable about a first pivot, and a restoring mechanism, wherein the restoring mechanism is designed to apply a restoring force to the brake pedal in the direction of its rest position when the brake pedal is deflected out of the rest position thereof. The restoring mechanism has at least one first restoring device and one second restoring device. An increase in the restoring force is effected, in particular exclusively, by the first restoring device over a first angular range of a pivoting movement of the brake pedal about the first pivot, and an increase in the restoring force is effected, in particular exclusively, by the second restoring device over a second angular range of a pivoting movement of the brake pedal about the first pivot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Applicant: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventors: Sebastian Biba, Manfred Rüffer, Andreas Bischoff, Horst Krämer
  • Publication number: 20220297653
    Abstract: A housing for a hydraulic unit, in particular a master brake cylinder for a hydraulic motor vehicle brake system, has at least a first and a second separate formed elements which are arranged on at least one side of the housing for a spatially clearly defined mounting of the housing and introduction of clamping forces into an external holding device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Applicant: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventors: Jörg Loke, Horst Krämer, Manfred Rüffer
  • Patent number: 11370403
    Abstract: An apparatus having a housing, a cavity which is disposed in the housing and which at least in regions is configured as a bore in which at least one piston and one piston spring associated with the piston are received, wherein the piston spring in the bore when activating the piston in the operation of the apparatus is compressed by the piston. The piston spring is configured from a magnetic or magnetizable material, the piston is configured from a non-magnetic material, and an assembly unit which comprises the piston having the piston spring is provided, and in which the piston spring is held on the piston by a magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventors: Andreas Bischoff, Horst Krämer, Manfred Rüffer, Jörg Loke, Sascha Gerber, Ingo Knewitz
  • Publication number: 20220099149
    Abstract: A pot-shaped composite brake rotor for motor vehicles, which combines at least one securing component as a hub interface with at least one friction ring component (as a friction partner for at least one friction lining. Distinction is made between a torque transmission function a fixing function between the paired components by the provision of a heat-conductive joint interface between the components on one side. The components are assembled coaxially with one another and joined rotationally fixedly in the axial direction so that the securing component serves as a heat sink for the friction ring component. At least one fixing element between the components is provided separately, and this fixing element substantially exclusively (nominal load) performs a fixing function by mutual form fit by a radially directed engagement behind at least one undercut. A press-fit connection s present for torque transmission between the securing component and the friction ring component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Applicant: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventors: Uwe Bach, Hans-Peter Metzen, Ahmed Sefo, Jens Hoffmann, Manfred Rüffer
  • Patent number: 11247650
    Abstract: A brake device for a hydraulic motor vehicle brake system, having a housing, at least one pressure chamber arranged in the housing, filled with a hydraulic pressure medium and bounded by at least one cylinder piston moveable in an axial direction to generate brake pressure. The cylinder piston can be activated mechanically with an activation force by an activation rod unit which is secured to the cylinder piston. In order to provide an improved brake device which is of the generic type mentioned at the beginning and permit a secure connection between the activation rod and the cylinder piston and at the same time mounting which is as easy as possible, it is proposed that the activation rod unit is secured to the cylinder piston by a latching connection, wherein the latching connection is brought about by an axial relative movement between the activation rod unit and the cylinder piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Inventors: Jefferson Colasanta, Thomas Sellinger, Manfred Rüffer, Horst Krämer
  • Patent number: 11247651
    Abstract: A hydraulic unit for generating brake pressure for a hydraulic brake system, comprising a housing which is produced from a cast blank, wherein the cast blank has at least one receiving cavity which is provided for machining to form a receiving profile for sealingly receiving a connecting piece, which is connected to a fluid container and can be plugged into the receiving profile along a plug-in axis, wherein the housing comprises at least one piston bore for receiving at least one piston, which is driven along a piston bore axis into the cast blank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventors: Jörg Loke, Horst Krämer, Manfred Rüffer, Andreas Bischoff, Sascha Gerber, Ingo Knewitz
  • Patent number: 11148648
    Abstract: A hydraulic assembly for generating brake pressure for a hydraulic brake system, comprising a housing which is produced from a cast blank, having at least one receiving cavity for receiving a connector piece which is connected to a fluid container and which can be plugged along a plug-in axis (S) into the receiving cavity. The cast blank has, in the receiving cavity, at least one substantially planar surface, the normal vector (N) of which is oriented at an oblique inclination angle (W) with respect to the plug-in axis (S).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventors: Jörg Loke, Horst Krämer, Manfred Rüffer, Andreas Bischoff, Sascha Gerber, Ingo Knewitz
  • Publication number: 20210179048
    Abstract: A fluid container for supplying a consuming device with a working fluid, including at least one connector piece having a shut-off valve arranged therein for preventing undesired escaping of the working fluid from the fluid container. In order to increase safety against undesired emptying of the fluid container, it is provided that the valve closure body, in the closed state of the shut-off valve, is accommodated in the fluid container completely inside a contour formed by an outer edge of the connector piece, and provision is made, for support against the valve closure body, of a support, which, upon insertion of the connector piece into the receiving seat, engages at least regionally into the connecting duct and in this way displaces the valve closure body in the connecting duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Inventors: Werner Krebs, Horst Krämer, Manfred Rüffer, Stephan Schlicht, Jörg Loke, Zdenek Rozsypal, Jaroslav Masek
  • Patent number: 10988125
    Abstract: A fluid container having at least one internal chamber for receiving a fluid, and having at least one connector for hydraulically connecting the internal chamber to a downstream hydraulic apparatus, wherein the connector at the end thereof toward the internal chamber has a mouth portion. In order to propose an improved fluid container by way of which high volumetric flows can also pass through the connector at high throughflow rates with low losses and reduced resistance, it is proposed that an escape value of the connector is provided so as to be larger than 0.82, and the mouth portion in relation to a container wall region that directly surrounds the mouth portion is at least in portions designed so as to be raised in the direction of the internal chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Inventors: Swen Ottmann, Manfred Rüffer
  • Patent number: 10864897
    Abstract: A brake device for a hydraulic motor vehicle brake system without a vacuum booster, with a housing with at least one pressure chamber arranged therein, with a cylinder piston which can be axially moved in an actuation direction by an actuating rod unit coupled to the cylinder piston in order to generate brake pressure, wherein a rigid stop is provided for the cylinder piston which defines the non-actuated starting position of the cylinder piston. In order to provide an improved brake device of the above-mentioned type, which permits simple and reliable detection of the zero point and simultaneously has reduced noise emission on the return, a damping element is provided which permits a mechanical decoupling of the actuating rod unit from the cylinder piston in a release direction opposite the actuation direction by reversible deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Andreas Bischoff, Jefferson Colasanta, Marc Ibanez, Manfred Rüffer, Thomas Sellinger
  • Publication number: 20200384970
    Abstract: A fluid container for releasable connection to a vehicle component, wherein the fluid container has at least one fastening lug with an opening which is aligned with a plug-through opening in the vehicle component and the connection is secured by a locking pin which can be extended into the plug-through opening and the opening and/or opening and can be locked in an end position by a rectilinear plug-in movement in a plug-in direction; in order to increase the load-bearing capacity of the connection and to simplify the installation, it is proposed that the fastening lug has a locking device which is arranged in alignment with the respective opening and the locking device includes at least two elastically resilient tabs which act in a latching manner on a thickened locking portion of the locking pin and thereby secure the locking pin in its axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2018
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: Manfred Rüffer, Horst Krämer, Kerima Mertz, Milan Jagos, Paul Wiebe
  • Publication number: 20200377068
    Abstract: A hydraulic assembly for generating brake pressure for a hydraulic brake system, comprising a housing which is produced from a cast blank, having at least one receiving cavity for receiving a connector piece which is connected to a fluid container and which can be plugged along a plug-in axis (S) into the receiving cavity. The cast blank has, in the receiving cavity, at least one substantially planar surface, the normal vector (N) of which is oriented at an oblique inclination angle (W) with respect to the plug-in axis (S).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Applicant: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventors: Jörg Loke, Horst Krämer, Manfred Rüffer, Andreas Bischoff, Sascha Gerber, Ingo Knewitz
  • Publication number: 20200307535
    Abstract: An apparatus having a housing, a cavity which is disposed in the housing and which at least in regions is configured as a bore in which at least one piston and one piston spring associated with the piston are received, wherein the piston spring in the bore when activating the piston in the operation of the apparatus is compressed by the piston. The piston spring is configured from a magnetic or magnetizable material, the piston is configured from a non-magnetic material, and an assembly unit which comprises the piston having the piston spring is provided, and in which the piston spring is held on the piston by a magnetic field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Applicant: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventors: Andreas Bischoff, Horst Krämer, Manfred Rüffer, Jörg Loke, Sascha Gerber, Ingo Knewitz
  • Publication number: 20200292372
    Abstract: A fluid container having a device which is arranged in an interior space within the fluid container and which serves for monitoring the fill level of a fluid, the device comprising a linearly movable position encoder having a magnet element, the position of which correlates with the fill level of the fluid in the fluid container, and comprising a signal unit, which generates at least one electrical signal in a manner dependent on the position of the magnet element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventors: Stephan Schlicht, Horst Krämer, Manfred Rüffer, Werner Krebs, Swen Ottmann
  • Patent number: 10752226
    Abstract: A brake device having a hydraulic booster stage for a hydraulic motor vehicle brake system is provided, which brake device, within normal boosting operation, can be operated both in an autonomous, driver-independent actuation mode with electronic control and in a manual actuation mode controlled by the driver, and outside normal boosting operation, can be operated in an emergency mode with a non-boosted actuation force generated by the driver alone, in the case of which brake device it is proposed that, within normal boosting operation, each actuation mode is assigned a dedicated piston in a booster housing of the booster stage, which piston is acted on directly with the boosting force and transmits this mechanically to components connected functionally downstream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. oHG
    Inventors: Falk Petzold, Adrian Messner, Manfred Rüffer, Michael Jürging
  • Publication number: 20200262404
    Abstract: A hydraulic unit for generating brake pressure for a hydraulic brake system, comprising a housing which is produced from a cast blank, wherein the cast blank has at least one receiving cavity which is provided for machining to form a receiving profile for sealingly receiving a connecting piece, which is connected to a fluid container and can be plugged into the receiving profile along a plug-in axis, wherein the housing comprises at least one piston bore for receiving at least one piston, which is driven along a piston bore axis into the cast blank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Applicant: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG
    Inventors: Jörg Loke, Horst Krämer, Manfred Rüffer, Andreas Bischoff, Sascha Gerber, Ingo Knewitz