Patents by Inventor Mario Steinborn
Mario Steinborn 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).
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Publication number: 20230047435Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for resolving a tooth-on-tooth position of a positive-locking shifting element of an automated manual transmission, in which gear steps of the automated manual transmission are changed by means of a pressure-medium-actuated shift actuator. If, during a change of a gear step of the automated manual transmission, a tooth-on-tooth position occurs at the interlocking shifting element, then the control of the pressure-medium-actuated shift actuator is varied in such manner as to resolve the tooth-on-tooth position. A control unit for carrying out the method is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2020Publication date: February 16, 2023Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Alain Tierry Chamaken Kamde, Wilhelm Moser, Markus Eisele, Rupert Kramer, Mario Steinborn
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Patent number: 11292472Abstract: A method of operating a motor vehicle drive-train having a drive aggregate, a group transmission and a drive output. The aggregate can couple an input shaft of the transmission which includes main, splitter and range groups. To carry out a shift, a target gear and target rotational speed of the aggregate are calculated for the shift to be carried out. After the initiation of the shift a load reduction is first carried out, then a group of the transmission is disengaged in order to shift the transmission to neutral, after which a group of the transmission is synchronized and to shift out of neutral, the synchronized group is engaged, and then the load is again built up. Initiation of the shift, after calculating the target gear and the target rotational speed, occurs at a point in time when complete performance of a shift is not yet possible.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2019Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Mario Steinborn, Andreas Heinzler
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Publication number: 20210245761Abstract: A method of operating a motor vehicle drive-train having a drive aggregate, a group transmission and a drive output. The aggregate can couple an input shaft of the transmission which includes main, splitter and range groups. To carry out a shift, a target gear and target rotational speed of the aggregate are calculated for the shift to be carried out. After the initiation of the shift a load reduction is first carried out, then a group of the transmission is disengaged in order to shift the transmission to neutral, after which a group of the transmission is synchronized and to shift out of neutral, the synchronized group is engaged, and then the load is again built up. Initiation of the shift, after calculating the target gear and the target rotational speed, occurs at a point in time when complete performance of a shift is not yet possible.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2019Publication date: August 12, 2021Inventors: Mario STEINBORN, Andreas HEINZLER
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Patent number: 10648555Abstract: A method of controlling the gear shifting of an automatic range-change transmission, which is arranged between a drive engine and a final drive in a drive train of a motor vehicle and includes at least one multi-stage main transmission, a two-stage front-mounted group upstream of the main transmission, and a transmission brake. The main transmission can be shifted, via unsynchronized clutches, and the front-mounted group can be shifted, via synchronized clutches. Upon upshifting in the range-change transmission including at least one change of a transmission ratio stage of the front-mounted group, synchronization of the front-mounted group is effected via actuation of the synchronized clutch of the front-mounted group and supportingly via at least intermittently parallel actuation of the transmission brake. Actuation of the transmission brake, for supporting the synchronization of the front-mounted group, is effected on the basis of a prevailing driving or operating situation.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2017Date of Patent: May 12, 2020Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Martin Rist, Tobias Mayerhofer, Mario Steinborn
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Patent number: 10508724Abstract: A method for shift control of an automated auxiliary transmission that is mounted in a drive train of a motor vehicle between a drive motor (AM) and a final drive, and includes at least one multi-step main gearing (HG) and one two-step front-mounted group (VG) connected upstream of the main gearing (HG), and with which the main gearing (HG) can be shifted via unsynchronized clutches and the front-mounted group can be shifted via synchronized clutches. Depending on the currently existing driving or operating situation, a gear change is performed in the auxiliary transmission through a change in the transmission ratio step (G1, G2, G3) of the main gearing (HG) while maintaining the currently engaged transmission ratio step (K1, K2) in the front-mounted group (VG).Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2017Date of Patent: December 17, 2019Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Mario Steinborn, Tobias Mayerhofer
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Publication number: 20180172142Abstract: A method of controlling the gear shifting of an automatic range-change transmission, which is arranged between a drive engine and a final drive in a drive train of a motor vehicle and includes at least one mufti-stage main transmission, a two-stage front-mounted group upstream of the main transmission, and a transmission brake. The main transmission can be shifted, via unsynchronized clutches, and the front-mounted group can be shifted, via synchronized clutches. Upon upshifting in the range-change transmission including at least one change of a transmission ratio stage of the front-mounted group, synchronization of the front-mounted group is effected via actuation of the synchronized clutch of the front-mounted group and supportingly via at least intermittently parallel actuation of the transmission brake. Actuation of the transmission brake, for supporting the synchronization of the front-mounted group, is effected on the basis of a prevailing driving or operating situation.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2017Publication date: June 21, 2018Inventors: Martin Rist, Tobias Mayerhofer, Mario Steinborn
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Publication number: 20180142785Abstract: A method for shift control of an automated auxiliary transmission that is mounted in a drive train of a motor vehicle between a drive motor (AM) and a final drive, and includes at least one multi-step main gearing (HG) and one two-step front-mounted group (VG) connected upstream of the main gearing (HG), and with which the main gearing (HG) can be shifted via unsynchronized clutches and the front-mounted group can be shifted via synchronized clutches. Depending on the currently existing driving or operating situation, a gear change is performed in the auxiliary transmission through a change in the transmission ratio step (G1, G2, G3) of the main gearing (HG) while maintaining the currently engaged transmission ratio step (K1, K2) in the front-mounted group (VG).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2017Publication date: May 24, 2018Inventors: Mario STEINBORN, Tobias MAYERHOFER
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Patent number: 9714703Abstract: A method of controlling an automated transmission with positioning cylinders (6, 8, 20) controlled by shift valves or venting valves (10, 12, 16, 18, 22, 24). At least one cut-off valve (4) is positioned in front of the shift or venting valves and a control device controls the valves while pressure pipes, which follow the cut-off valve (4), are connected with one another following the cut-off valve (4). Due to the fact that the cut-off valve (4), for reasons of design simplicity and cost, is generally designed as a simple 2/2 way valve which only allows pressure increase but not pressure reduction, the method provides control of the shift valves or ventilation or venting valves (16, 18), of a non activated positioning cylinder (8), so that the pressure pipe system is connected with an outflow pipe (14) for a pressure reduction in the pressure pipe system (30, 32, 34).Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2012Date of Patent: July 25, 2017Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Mario Steinborn, Jochen Breuer, Christoph Ruechardt, Thomas Jaeger, Roland Mair, Melchor Moro-Oliveros
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Patent number: 9387848Abstract: A method of controlling and regulating a transmission brake which, for the purpose of synchronization, determines a target rotational speed of a shaft to be synchronized on the basis of an actual rotational speed of a transmission shaft, and controls a transmission brake such that the determined target rotational speed is set for the shaft that is to be synchronized. The transmission brake also carries out additional functions. These functions require no, or only minimal, additional hardware complexity in a cost-neutral way, but considerably increase the functional and practical value of the transmission brake. The comfort and speed of shifting operations, the protection or, as the case may be, the detection of error states in sensors, a clutch, a main clutch or a motor control are improved, and undesirable transmission states avoided. It is also possible to account for and influence other conditions, such as the operation of ancillary devices.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2013Date of Patent: July 12, 2016Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Rainer Petzold, Mario Steinborn, Ulrich Reith, Wolfgang Groner, Rupert Kramer
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Patent number: 9309964Abstract: A method of performing a shift operation in an automatic transmission with at least one form-locking shifting transmission part of a vehicle, with which, during a shift to a target gear (GZIEL), a rotational speed synchronization, between the transmission input rotational speed and the output side rotational speed, is performed. When a different rotational direction is detected between the transmission input and the transmission output, the rotational speed of the transmission input is reduced to a minimum and the target gear (GZIEL) is only shifted when the remaining rotational speed difference, between the rotational speed of the transmission input and the rotational speed of the transmission output can be at least substantially synchronized by the form-locking shift element.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2011Date of Patent: April 12, 2016Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Florian Schneider, Mario Steinborn
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Patent number: 9103439Abstract: A method of eliminating a tooth-on-tooth position at an interlocking shifting element. The tooth-on-tooth position is eliminated by operating at least one actuator such that, during a first operating attempt the actuator is operated using a defined target parameter, after which it is checked whether as a result of the operation of the actuator the tooth-on-tooth position has been eliminated. If the tooth-on-tooth position is not eliminated, then repeating subsequent operating attempts of operation of the actuator, each time with an increased target parameter, until, after the corresponding operation of the actuator, the tooth-on-tooth position is eliminated by the m-th operating attempt. For elimination of a subsequent tooth-on-tooth position, the target parameter defined for the first elimination attempt is adapted such that the subsequent tooth-on-tooth position is eliminated by an n-th attempt.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2014Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Florian Schneider, Mario Steinborn, Thomas Jager
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Patent number: 9039569Abstract: A method of controlling an automated transmission for motor vehicles with one or several pressure activated positioning cylinders (6, 8, 20), via the assigned shift valves (10, 12), at least one main cut-off valve (4) which is positioned prior to the shift valves, and a control device for controlling the shift and main cut-off valves. The pressure requests, for the shifting, are determined and the respective main cut-off valves are triggered depending on the determined pressure requests. To enable a variable match of the supply pressure during transmission shifts, respective optimized pressures or pressure patterns are determined for certain shift scenarios which, for instance, consider a mass to be synchronized, the existence of a tooth-on-tooth position, or the like. Through this method, for instance, the load on shift elements, the shift timing, and the shift noise can be positively influenced.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2012Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Mario Steinborn, Jochen Breuer, Christoph Ruechardt, Thomas Jaeger, Roland Mair, Melchor Moro-Oliveros
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Patent number: 9008925Abstract: A method of controlling a transmission brake of an automated change-speed transmission having a control cylinder, that is pressurized by inlet and outlet valves, and an upstream main cut-off valve by which a nominal pressure, supplied to the control cylinder, is regulated. Functional deviations of the transmission brake can be considered during a shifting operation, when the transmission is in neutral, the motor coupling clutch is disengaged and the transmission brake is engaged. The rotational speed gradient and the mass of the transmission components to be braked are determined and used to calculate the current braking torque of the transmission brake. The current braking torque relates to the current regulated nominal pressure, and the determined values are stored in a control unit and used during subsequent actuation of the transmission brake.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2012Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Mario Steinborn, Jochen Breuer, Christoph Ruechardt, Thomas Jaeger, Roland Mair, Melchor Moro-Oliveros
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Publication number: 20150075307Abstract: A method of eliminating a tooth-on-tooth position at an interlocking shifting element. The tooth-on-tooth position is eliminated by operating at least one actuator such that, during a first operating attempt the actuator is operated using a defined target parameter, after which it is checked whether as a result of the operation of the actuator the tooth-on-tooth position has been eliminated. If the tooth-on-tooth position is not eliminated, then repeating subsequent operating attempts of operation of the actuator, each time with an increased target parameter, until, after the corresponding operation of the actuator, the tooth-on-tooth position is eliminated by the m-th operating attempt. For elimination of a subsequent tooth-on-tooth position, the target parameter defined for the first elimination attempt is adapted such that the subsequent tooth-on-tooth position is eliminated by an n-th attempt.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2014Publication date: March 19, 2015Inventors: Florian SCHNEIDER, Mario STEINBORN, Thomas JAGER
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Patent number: 8870712Abstract: A method of controlling a shift of an automated group gearbox having a multi-step main transmission and a trailing two-step range group. An input shaft of the main transmission is driven by a drive device. The main transmission and a range group have synchronization devices with shift clutches. Each synchronization device, for the main transmission, has two shift positions for respective gear ratio steps and a neutral position and the range group synchronization device has only two shift positions to shift between two gear ratios steps. To accelerate range shifts, when synchronizing the range group, the main transmission input shaft is synchronized by controlling external synchronization aids to a target rotational speed at which either after the synchronization and shifting of the gear ratio step of the range group or independently from the current synchronization condition of the range group, the target gear ratio is engaged in the main transmission.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2012Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Mario Steinborn, Roland Mair, Florian Schneider, Jochen Breuer
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Patent number: 8777807Abstract: A method for releasing a tooth-on-tooth position of an interlocking shift element (6) of a transmission (5) or an interlocking shift element between two transmissions, such that the tooth-on-tooth position is released by using an actuator, in particular by using a transmission brake (8) or a drive clutch (7), and when a tooth-on-tooth position to be released is recognized, then depending on a drive-side or input-side rotational speed of the interlocking shift element (6), depending on a synchronous speed of the same and as a function of the actuators (3, 7, 8) available for releasing a tooth-on-tooth position, at least one actuator is selected, by using which the drive-side or input-side speed of the interlocking shift element (6) is approximated to its synchronous speed.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2011Date of Patent: July 15, 2014Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Florian Schneider, Mario Steinborn
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Publication number: 20140171263Abstract: A method of controlling a shift of an automated group gearbox having a multi-step main transmission and a trailing two-step range group. An input shaft of the main transmission is driven by a drive device. The main transmission and a range group have synchronization devices with shift clutches. Each synchronization device, for the main transmission, has two shift positions for respective gear ratio steps and a neutral position and the range group synchronization device has only two shift positions to shift between two gear ratios steps. To accelerate range shifts, when synchronizing the range group, the main transmission input shaft is synchronized by controlling external synchronization aids to a target rotational speed at which either after the synchronization and shifting of the gear ratio step of the range group or independently from the current synchronization condition of the range group, the target gear ratio is engaged in the main transmission.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2012Publication date: June 19, 2014Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Mario Steinborn, Roland Mair, Florian Schneider, Jochen Breuer
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Patent number: 8746426Abstract: A through-connection clutch, for transferring torque between a motor and transmission of a vehicle, which has a friction clutch and a form-locking clutch. The form-locking clutch is disposed radially within the friction clutch, and the clutches can be actuated independently of each other. To minimize the required installation space, the through-connection clutch can be activated flexibly, but is still inexpensive to produce and ensures low-wear yet safe and comfortable torque transfer in a drive train of a vehicle. A pressure plate of the friction clutch and a form-locking element of the form-locking clutch are concentric, rotationally fixed together, and movable toward one another, and can be actuated via an actuation unit, which is rotationally decoupled from the pressure plate and the form-locking element. Depending on the operating situation, the friction clutch and/or the form-locking clutch is selectively activated one or more times.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2010Date of Patent: June 10, 2014Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Rainer Petzold, Peter Herter, Mario Steinborn, Franz Bitzer
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Patent number: 8656808Abstract: A transmission system for either a manual shift transmission, an automatic transmission or an automated transmission in which the electrical connections and the pneumatic connections including any ventilation port, for the internal components of the transmission are combined with one another so as to exit the transmission housing via a single unified connection formed in the housing wall of the transmission.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2007Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Josef Bader, Gerhard Birkenmaier, Andreas Graf, Kim Führer, Kai Heinrich, Frank Gessler, Klaus Wöhr, Hubert König, Manfred Vetter, Gerhard Höring, Ludger Ronge, Henrik Schuh, Markus Ulbricht, Mario Steinborn, Karl-Fritz Heinzelmann, Bernhard Walter
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Patent number: 8641579Abstract: A method is proposed for controlling a through-connection clutch of a vehicle, in which an interlocking portion of the clutch is opened when the drive-train is virtually free from torque, a shifting operation is then carried out, and after the shifting operation the clutch is closed again. According to the invention, the torque transmitted by the interlocked connection in the clutch is influenced by controlling the motor in order to produce a torque-free condition at the interlocked connection in the clutch, in such manner that the interlocked connection is pre-stressed before the torque-free condition has been reached and separated immediately only when the torque-free condition is reached.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2010Date of Patent: February 4, 2014Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Rainer Petzold, Peter Herter, Mario Steinborn, Franz Bitzer