Patents by Inventor Matthias Winkel

Matthias Winkel 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: 7444219
    Abstract: A device for evaluating vehicle, driving and operating parameters of a vehicle, in order to adjust the gear ratio of a transmission according to predetermined algorithms, parameters, or characteristic diagrams, selects anew the gear to be adjusted and adjusts the same by way of an evaluation in dependence upon criteria that are specific to the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Gerald Karch, Matthias Winkel
  • Publication number: 20080215220
    Abstract: A method for controlling and reducing the load on an automated clutch. Based on a variety of parameters, a conclusion based on the load status of the clutch or the friction elements regarding thermal load or wear is obtained. A clutch control module compares the load values, determined in this way, to the associated threshold values. If these threshold values are exceeded, the clutch control module initiates measures for reducing the load on the clutch. The measures do not require action by an operator and are based on action of the clutch controller, the drive motor, and/or the transmission such that the thermal load and/or the wear on the clutch are reduced. A plurality of load values and measures are considered for starting or stopping the vehicle on a gradient via the accelerator and for gear change operations during driving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Matthias Winkel, Ramon Cordt
  • Patent number: 7419456
    Abstract: A known device for increasing the functional reliability for a hydraulic circuit of a hydraulic clutch having a pressure reservoir (25) and a release cylinder (5) which comprises a primary piston (14) and a secondary piston (16). A compensation volume is developed in the sense that when the vehicle is at a standstill and the parking brake released, an unintentional release of the clutch is prevented. A pressure-monitoring/pressure-supply device (28) is used for determining a reference operating pressure and establishes a static pressure which, in case of any system error, only allows displacement of the secondary piston (16) such that the contact pressure of the clutch discs, against one another, is still sufficient to maintain the vehicle at a standstill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Thomas Knoblauch, Christoph Rüchardt, Otto Ebner, Klaus Schweiger, Matthias Winkel, Andreas Schwenger, Marcus Gansohr
  • Patent number: 7396314
    Abstract: A method and a device with which disturbing vibrations are diminished at least in the height of their amplitude. A control and regulating device (24) and suitable sensors (34, 36, 41) activate a device (7, 11, 15, 23, 29, 30) when previously established limiting values are exceeded with regard to procedure, with which components of the motor vehicle are influenced such that the disturbing vibrations are damped or compensated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Matthias Winkel, Thomas Jäger, Rupert Kramer, Horst Aepker
  • Publication number: 20080085815
    Abstract: A method for adapting an operating mode of an automatic variable speed transmission for a vehicle having an engine (1), whose torque is transferred from a clutch (2) to an automatic variable speed transmission (3), where the target rotational speed of the variable speed transmission and a corresponding gear (x, x-1, x-2) is selected in such a way depending upon a vehicle acceleration and an available engine power that no further change of the gear is required for a predeterminable time period when the vehicle acceleration remains the same after the selected gear has been applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Publication date: April 10, 2008
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN
    Inventors: Matthias Winkel, Bertram Wengert
  • Patent number: 7169081
    Abstract: A method for clutch actuation at low temperatures for a motor vehicle having a hydraulically actuatable clutch, below a predetermined temperature a situation-dependent pre-opening of the clutch is executed when a braking is probable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Matthias Winkel, Otto Ebner, Klaus Schweiger, Christoph Rüchardt, Andreas Schwenger, Marcus Gansohr, Thomas Knoblauch
  • Publication number: 20060240943
    Abstract: A method for the operation of an automatic transmission in a motor vehicle. The downshifting of the transmission takes advantage of a braking action of a driving motor connected to the automatic transmission through a clutch, are terminated by the closing of a clutch during a compression phase lasting until the achievement of a predetermined threshold speed. For the improvement of the immediacy of the vehicle drive after the termination of the compression phase, the invention provides that at speeds less than the threshold speed, downshifting is carried out and is terminated with an open clutch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2004
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Inventors: Matthias Winkel, Bertram Wengert
  • Publication number: 20060116237
    Abstract: A known device for increasing the functional reliability for a hydraulic circuit of a hydraulic clutch having one pressure reservoir and one release cylinder which comprises a primary piston, a secondary piston and a compensation volume is to be further developed in the sense that when the vehicle is at a standstill and the parking brake released, an unintentional release of the clutch is prevented. According to the invention there is used for the purpose a pressure-monitoring/pressure-supply device (28) which determines a reference operating pressure and establishes a static pressure which in case of system errors allows only a displacement of the secondary piston (16) such that the contact pressure of the clutch discs against each other is still sufficient to hold the vehicle at a standstill.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2003
    Publication date: June 1, 2006
    Inventors: Thomas Knoblauch, Christoph Ruchardt, Otto Ebner, Klaus Schweiger, Matthias Winkel, Andreas Schwenger, Marcus Gansohr
  • Patent number: 7003429
    Abstract: An operating time is determined by an approximation method within the scope of the method for determining the actual operating time of a hydraulic, electrohydraulic or electric component of a motor vehicle or of a working machine within a reference time or a monitoring period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Marcus Gansohr, Otto Ebner, Klaus Schweiger, Matthias Winkel, Christoph Rüchardt, Andreas Schwenger, Thomas Knoblauch
  • Publication number: 20060009898
    Abstract: A device for evaluating vehicle, driving and operating parameters of a vehicle, in order to adjust the gear ratio of a transmission according to predetermined algorithms, parameters, or characteristic diagrams, selects anew the gear to be adjusted and adjusts the same by way of an evaluation in dependence upon criteria that are specific to the transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Publication date: January 12, 2006
    Inventors: Gerald Karch, Matthias Winkel
  • Publication number: 20050261109
    Abstract: A method and a device with which disturbing vibrations are diminished at least in the height of their amplitude. A control and regulating device (24) and suitable sensors (34, 36, 41) activate a device (7, 11, 15, 23, 29, 30) when previously established limiting values are exceeded with regard to procedure, with which components of the motor vehicle are influenced such that the disturbing vibrations are damped or compensated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Publication date: November 24, 2005
    Inventors: Matthias Winkel, Thomas Jager, Rupert Kramer, Horst Aepker
  • Publication number: 20050217419
    Abstract: An automatic transmission with at least one actuator (8) arranged on the transmission housing (4). To reduce repair and/or maintenance costs, the one actuator (8, 8a, 8b, 8c) is arranged on the transmission housing (4) in such a manner that it is freely accessible without removing the automatic transmission (13, 14) from a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2005
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Inventors: Matthias Winkel, Jerome Lochard
  • Publication number: 20050051408
    Abstract: A method is proposed for determining a clutch application point in a transmission of a vehicle having a spring-actuated clutch system in which the clutch application point is adapted according to at least one adequate regulated quantity of the clutch system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2002
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Inventors: Andreas Schwenger, Otto Ebner, Klaus Schweiger, Matthias Winkel, Christoph Ruchardt, Marcus Gansohr, Thomas Knoblauch
  • Publication number: 20050033552
    Abstract: An actual operating time is determined by an approximation method within the scope of the method for determining the actual operating time of a hydraulic, electrohydraulic or electric component of a motor vehicle or of a working machine within a reference time or a monitoring period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Publication date: February 10, 2005
    Inventors: Marcus Gansohr, Otto Ebner, Klaus Schweiger, Matthias Winkel, Christoph Ruchardt, Andreas Schwenger, Thomas Knoblauch
  • Publication number: 20050002796
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a pressure supply device in a hydraulic circuit, especially in a hydraulic circuit in an automatic gearbox which comprises an hydraulic pump, a pressure control valve and a consumer. The hydraulic pump is controlled if the system pressure falls below a specific lower threshold value and is switched off if a specific higher threshold value of the system pressure is reached or exceeded. In the data on the system pressure is not available, the current system pressure is calculated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2002
    Publication date: January 6, 2005
    Inventors: Thomas Knoblauch, Otto Ebner, Klaus Schweiger, Matthias Winkel, Christoph Rüchardt, Andreas Schwenger, Marcus Gansohr
  • Publication number: 20040235618
    Abstract: A method for clutch actuation at low temperatures for a motor vehicle having a hydraulically actuatable clutch, below a predetermined temperature a situation-dependent pre-opening of the clutch is executed when a braking is probable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Matthias Winkel, Otto Ebner, Klaus Schweiger, Christoph Ruchardt, Andreas Schwenger, Marcus Gansohr, Thomas Knoblauch
  • Patent number: 6633006
    Abstract: The method for determining the mass of a vehicle comprises at least two measurements (6, 8) offset in time within a measuring period by which are determined respectively at least one traction variable (2) and at least one movement variable (4) of the vehicle, one of the two measurements (8) being effected during a traction-free phase and the other of the two measurements (6) during a traction phase. According to the invention, it is proposed that each of the two measurements comprises one data collection period (6, 8) the duration of which is longer than a minimum duration, that the traction variable corresponds to the timed integral of the traction and the movement variable to the change of speed of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Andreas Wolf, Matthias Winkel, Christoph Rüchardt, Bertram Wengert, Jürgen Müller
  • Patent number: 6519522
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining a starting gear step for a vehicle with a stepped variable speed transmission with several gear steps. It is proposed that a maximum admissible value for a slip time (12) and/or a maximum admissible value for a frictional work (14) of the starting clutch during the starting process, the same as an available engine torque (10) for starting be determined, that beginning with a highest suitable gear step (18) for starting, values for the slip time (20) and/or the frictional work (22) be calculated in advance depending on the vehicle mass (8), that the precalculated values (20, 22) be compared with the maximum admissible values (12, 14), that the calculation loop be repeated with the next smaller suitable gear step for starting when at least one of the precalculated values is greater than the maximum admissible values and that a gear step be issued as starting gear step when the precalculated values are smaller than or equal to the maximum admissible values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Andreas Wolf, Matthias Winkel, Christoph Rüchardt, Bertram Wengert, Jürgen Müller
  • Patent number: 6456923
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for detecting cornering for a vehicle (2) with automatic transmission. According to the invention it is proposed that the current bend radius be determined from the rotational speed signals of the front wheels, that the beginning of a cornering mode be determined when the current bend radius falls below a first limit bend radius and the end of a cornering mode be determined when the vehicle has covered a presettable distance after exceeding a second limit bend radius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Andreas Wolf, Matthias Winkel, Christoph Rüchardt, Bertram Wengert, Jürgen Müller
  • Patent number: 6412361
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining a starting gear step for a vehicle with a multi-speed stepped variable transmission, wherein the starting gear step is determined by an electronic control device which is dependent on the vehicle mass; and a second variable which depends on the vehicle state is determined from the vehicle mass, the current traction and the current vehicle acceleration resulting therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2002
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Andreas Wolf, Matthias Winkel, Christoph Rüchardt, Bertram Wengert, Jürgen Müller