Patents by Inventor Markus Zörnack

Markus Zörnack 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: 10532395
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a shaped sheet-metal part from a panel or a semifinished part made of a material consisting of steel with at least 60 wt. % Fe and a residual austenite content of at least 5%, in which the panel or the semifinished part is at least partially cooled to a temperature below ?20° C. before the shaping and is shaped at a temperature below ?20° C. in a forming tool. The object of providing a method for producing load-compliantly configured components, which on the one hand permits industrial-scale use of low-temperature forming and is configured particularly simply, is achieved by reducing the material temperature of the panel or semifinished part to below ?20° C. is carried out in a thermally regulated cooling apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignees: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG, Outokumpu Nirosta GmbH
    Inventors: Axel Grüneklee, Markus Zörnack, Thomas Heller, Ekaterina Bocharova, Seyed Amin Mousavi Rizi
  • Patent number: 10363775
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel for motor vehicles may include a wheel-rim ring with an opening, a main member positioned at least partially in the opening of the wheel-rim ring, and a covering shell for at least partially covering the main member. The main member may include an attachment region with receptacles for attaching the main member and the wheel-rim ring to a vehicle. The wheel is configured to have a low weight and an adequate stiffness. Moreover, the wheel also exhibits a secure attachment and no pre-load losses while permitting a high degree of design flexibility. In some examples, the attachment region of the main member is free from the covering shell by way of, for example, a cut-out in the covering shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG
    Inventors: David Pieronek, Axel Grüneklee, Markus Zörnack
  • Patent number: 10118213
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the forming of a workpiece, in particular a blank, composed of sheet steel, in which method the following steps are performed in succession: providing a workpiece composed of multiple steel layers which have been non-detachably connected to one another by roll-bonding and of which at least two steel layers have a different strength and/or elongation at fracture, heating the workpiece, and subjecting the workpiece to hot forming. To ensure a high strength and at the same time the easiest possible formability, the invention proposes that at least one section of the hot-formed workpiece is hardened, and that the workpiece is subsequently subjected to cold forming in the region in which the hardening has been performed. The invention also relates to a corresponding workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignees: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG, THYSSENKRUPP AG
    Inventors: Stéphane Graff, David Pieronek, Markus Zörnack
  • Patent number: 10092944
    Abstract: A method for producing a wheel disk of a vehicle wheel may involve producing the wheel disk produced from a steel blank by hot forming. The blank may be at least partially hardened, preferably press-hardened, during or after the hot forming. The blank may be hot formed using at least one punch and at least one die, and at least one opening may be introduced into the blank using hot trimming means. At least one opening may be introduced during the hot trimming using at least one trimming bolt and an application bolt, wherein the application bolt may have at least one region having a cross-sectional shape that is variable in a longitudinal direction of the application bolt. Using the application bolt, the at least one opening may be calibrated via the variable cross sectional shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignees: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG, THYSSENKRUPP AG
    Inventors: Arndt Marx, Müller Christian, David Pieronek, Axel Grüneklee, Markus Zörnack
  • Patent number: 10017210
    Abstract: Spring strut domes for use with vehicle bodies can be formed by reshaping a semifinished product into a dome element by way of massive forming. In particular, the semifinished product may be reshaped by rolling, forging, upset-forging, and/or pressing. In this process, structures may be introduced into the dome element that increase the stiffness of the dome element and hence the spring strut dome. Two example structures include ribs and webs, and the dome element may be formed of steel or a steel alloy. In some cases, the semifinished product may be heated before being reshaped into the dome element. Further, the spring strut dome may also include an attaching region coupled to the dome element, which may be used to secure the spring strut dome to a vehicle body. A wall thickness of the attaching region may be equal to or less than 1.5 mm in some examples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG
    Inventors: Stephan Drewes, Markus Zörnack
  • Patent number: 9969433
    Abstract: A hollow profile that has improved handling ability and a good ability to be attached to other components and a method for producing the hollow profile. In the method for producing a hollow profile having at least two half shell sheets, a first half shell sheet is applied to a first side of web plate along two axially running joint edges of the first half shell sheet, a second half shell sheet is applied to a second side of the web plate along two axially running joint edges of the second half shell sheet, and then the joint edges of the half shell sheets are subsequently joined to the web plate. An edge section of the web plate projects beyond the contact area of at least one joint edge so that at least one flange is formed for attaching other components. The hollow profile formed has two half shell sheets and a web plate disposed between the half shell sheets, which can form part of a vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG
    Inventors: Thomas Flehmig, Lothar Patberg, Markus Zörnack
  • Patent number: 9937957
    Abstract: A vehicle body may include a crossmember and a longitudinal member. The vehicle body helps ensure improved load absorption in collision events with small overlap between the crossmember and another vehicle or object. The deformation capabilities of the vehicle body in collision events involving a full surface area of the crossmember are not substantially impaired. Form-fitting members that comprise connection partners may be provided for the longitudinal member, wherein the form-fitting members ensure that a load path of collision energy is introduced into the longitudinal member selectively in the event of a collision with small overlap. A form-fitting member may form a form-fitting connection in a direction of the longitudinal member in the event of a collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG
    Inventors: Martin Kibben, Lothar Patberg, Rolf Peter Röttger, Markus Zörnack
  • Patent number: 9758195
    Abstract: The invention relates to a spring strut top mounting, comprising at least one shaping base body, wherein the at least one shaping base body has a dome-shaped section in the region connecting to the spring strut and at least one separate, local reinforcement element which is connected to the base body. The object of making available a spring strut top mounting which has improved rigidity, in particular improved local rigidity, is achieved according to the invention in that the base body has at least one stamped region in the region connecting to the spring strut, and the at least one reinforcement element lays against the base body at least in the vicinity of the at least one stamped region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: THYSEENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG
    Inventors: Markus Zörnack, Stephan Drewes
  • Patent number: 9724962
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a wheel, in particular for vehicles, such as motor vehicles, with a rim ring having an opening defined there through, and with a main support at least partially arranged in the opening in the rim ring. The wheel, despite having a low weight, provides adequate rigidity and strength and can be produced in a simple manner, while maintaining design flexibility. The main support of the wheel has a plurality of spokes, and a plurality of covering parts for at least partially covering the spokes, wherein the main support and the covering parts support the rim ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG
    Inventors: David Pieronek, Axel Grüneklee, Markus Zörnack
  • Patent number: 9616832
    Abstract: One bumper system for a vehicle includes a bumper bracket and a deformation element connected to the bumper bracket. The bumper bracket is composed of a metallic workpiece with an undulating form such that the bumper bracket has at least one undulation trough and at least two undulation peaks, and reinforcement zones are formed in regions of the undulation trough. Another bumper system for a vehicle includes a bumper bracket and a deformation element connected to the bumper bracket. The bumper bracket has an undulating form such that the bumper bracket has a plurality of undulation troughs and a plurality of undulation peaks, and reinforcement zones are formed in each undulation trough. In each system, a second deformation element may be connected to the bumper bracket, and at least one characteristic of the reinforcement zones may increase or decrease between the deformation elements and a middle of the bumper bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG
    Inventors: Rolf Peter Röttger, Martin Kibben, Markus Zörnack
  • Patent number: 9586545
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bumper for a motor vehicle, in particular a front bumper, having at least two deformation bodies which are at a distance from one another and of which the center or longitudinal axes, in the mounted state, are oriented substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the motor vehicle, and having a plurality of crossmembers which have a closed profile and which are arranged one above the other and are connected to the deformation bodies. The crossmembers are formed from a group of at least three crossmembers, wherein the respective crossmember of the group has a cross-sectional profile which comprises at least five corners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG
    Inventors: Martin Kibben, Rolf Peter Röttger, Markus Zörnack
  • Publication number: 20170001670
    Abstract: A method for producing a large outer paneling part for a movable body part of a motor vehicle such as a door, a front hood, or a tailgate may involve using a forming die to form a large metallic panel part into formed panel part having a three-dimensional shape. A reinforcement made of plastic may be applied to at least a portion of an inside of the formed panel part by back injection molding. In some cases, the metallic panel has a sheet metal thickness of less than 0.6 mm, and in some cases less than 0.5 mm. The formed panel part provided with the at least one plastic reinforcement may be connected to an inner structure produced from metal sheet and/or plastic by folding and/or adhesive bonding the plastic reinforcement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Applicant: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG
    Inventors: Axel Grüneklee, Markus Zörnack, Andreas Keutz, Jens Winiarz
  • Publication number: 20160318091
    Abstract: A method for producing a wheel disk of a vehicle wheel may involve producing the wheel disk produced from a steel blank by hot forming. The blank may be at least partially hardened, preferably press-hardened, during or after the hot forming. The blank may be hot formed using at least one punch and at least one die, and at least one opening may be introduced into the blank using hot trimming means. At least one opening may be introduced during the hot trimming using at least one trimming bolt and an application bolt, wherein the application bolt may have at least one region having a cross-sectional shape that is variable in a longitudinal direction of the application bolt. Using the application bolt, the at least one opening may be calibrated via the variable cross sectional shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Applicants: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG, ThyssenKrupp AG
    Inventors: Arndt Marx, Müller Christian, David Pieronek, Axel Grüneklee, Markus Zörnack
  • Patent number: 9457843
    Abstract: The invention concerns a vehicle body, in particular for electric motor vehicles, having a left-hand and a right-hand front region and at least one first longitudinal member extending in one of the front regions in the longitudinal direction, wherein in the front region at least one second longitudinal member is provided, which is arranged outside the horizontal plane of the first longitudinal member and the direction of extension of which extends angularly to the direction of extension of the first longitudinal member at least in horizontal projection. The invention also concerns the use of such a vehicle body for producing a motor vehicle without a combustion engine, in particular an electric motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG
    Inventors: Markus Zörnack, Lothar Patberg
  • Publication number: 20160280271
    Abstract: A vehicle body may include a crossmember and a longitudinal member. The vehicle body helps ensure improved load absorption in collision events with small overlap between the crossmember and another vehicle or object. The deformation capabilities of the vehicle body in collision events involving a full surface area of the crossmember are not substantially impaired. Form-fitting members that comprise connection partners may be provided for the longitudinal member, wherein the form-fitting members ensure that a load path of collision energy is introduced into the longitudinal member selectively in the event of a collision with small overlap. A form-fitting member may form a form-fitting connection in a direction of the longitudinal member in the event of a collision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Applicant: thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG
    Inventors: Martin Kibben, Lothar Patberg, Rolf Peter Röttger, Markus Zörnack
  • Publication number: 20160264081
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bumper for a motor vehicle, in particular a front bumper, having at least two deformation bodies which are at a distance from one another and of which the center or longitudinal axes, in the mounted state, are oriented substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the motor vehicle, and having a plurality of crossmembers which have a closed profile and which are arranged one above the other and are connected to the deformation bodies. The crossmembers are formed from a group of at least three crossmembers, wherein the respective crossmember of the group has a cross-sectional profile which comprises at least five corners.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Applicant: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG
    Inventors: Martin KIBBEN, Rolf Peter RÖTTGER, Markus ZÖRNACK
  • Publication number: 20160152069
    Abstract: A vehicle wheel for motor vehicles may include a wheel-rim ring with an opening, a main member positioned at least partially in the opening of the wheel-rim ring, and a covering shell for at least partially covering the main member. The main member may include an attachment region with receptacles for attaching the main member and the wheel-rim ring to a vehicle. The wheel is configured to have a low weight and an adequate stiffness. Moreover, the wheel also exhibits a secure attachment and no pre-load losses while permitting a high degree of design flexibility. In some examples, the attachment region of the main member is free from the covering shell by way of, for example, a cut-out in the covering shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Applicant: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG
    Inventors: David PIERONEK, Axel GRÜNEKLEE, Markus ZÖRNACK
  • Publication number: 20160129946
    Abstract: Spring strut domes for use with vehicle bodies can be formed by reshaping a semifinished product into a dome element by way of massive forming. In particular, the semifinished product may be reshaped by rolling, forging, upset-forging, and/or pressing. In this process, structures may be introduced into the dome element that increase the stiffness of the dome element and hence the spring strut dome. Two example structures include ribs and webs, and the dome element may be formed of steel or a steel alloy. In some cases, the semifinished product may be heated before being reshaped into the dome element. Further, the spring strut dome may also include an attaching region coupled to the dome element, which may be used to secure the spring strut dome to a vehicle body. A wall thickness of the attaching region may be equal to or less than 1.5 mm in some examples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Applicant: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG
    Inventors: Stephan DREWES, Markus ZÖRNACK
  • Patent number: 9283909
    Abstract: A device for absorbing energy in the event of a vehicle collision includes a body component of a motor vehicle, a thrust body for transmitting force, and a metal band for absorbing energy. The body component has a guide for the thrust body, and the body component has a deviating point for the deviating of the metal band. The thrust body has a fastening point for the fastening of the metal band. The metal band is coupled to the deviating point of the body component and to the fastening point of the thrust body such that the metal band is subjected to a tensile load when the thrust body is pushed into the guide of the body component. A distance between the deviating point and the fastening point is selectively adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE AG
    Inventors: Rolf Peter Röttger, Martin Kibben, Markus Zörnack
  • Patent number: 9283991
    Abstract: A front-end structure includes at least one lower longitudinal member and an absorber which is arranged on an outer side of a vehicle on the at least one lower longitudinal member and, in the event of an impact with a small overlap, provides an energy-absorbing load path into the at least one lower longitudinal member, wherein at least one deformation element is provided which is arranged at least between the absorber and a suspension strut dome and is connected to both thereof in a in a positive, non-positive and/or integrally bonded manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignees: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG, ThyssenKrupp AG
    Inventors: Axel Grüneklee, Martin Kibben, Markus Zörnack