Patents by Inventor Michael Hoetger
Michael Hoetger 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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Patent number: 11614029Abstract: A method for operating a heat recovery system for the utilization of waste heat of a heat engine of the heat recovery system may include discharging a carrier fluid via the heat engine, feeding the carrier fluid to an evaporator of a cyclic process of the heat recovery system, vaporizing a working fluid of the cyclic process via the evaporator and the waste heat, feeding the working fluid to an expansion engine of the cyclic process after vaporizing the working fluid, determining at least one carrier state variable of the carrier fluid at the evaporator, and setting at least one operating parameter of the heat recovery system based on the at least one determined carrier state variable.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2020Date of Patent: March 28, 2023Inventors: Michael Bucher, Michael Hoetger, Jana Mertens, Harald Scherg-Kurmes, Gerd Wieczorek
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Publication number: 20210131342Abstract: A method for operating a heat recovery system for the utilization of waste heat of a heat engine of the heat recovery system may include discharging a carrier fluid via the heat engine, feeding the carrier fluid to an evaporator of a cyclic process of the heat recovery system, vaporizing a working fluid of the cyclic process via the evaporator and the waste heat, feeding the working fluid to an expansion engine of the cyclic process after vaporizing the working fluid, determining at least one carrier state variable of the carrier fluid at the evaporator, and setting at least one operating parameter of the heat recovery system based on the at least one determined carrier state variable.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2020Publication date: May 6, 2021Inventors: Michael Bucher, Michael Hoetger, Jana Mertens, Harald Scherg-Kurmes, Gerd Wieczorek
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Patent number: 10975734Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine having a waste heat utilization device including a waste heat utilization cycle in which a valve mechanism, an evaporator, and an expander are arranged, may include adjusting the valve mechanism between an evaporator position and a bypass position via a control/regulating device as a function of at least one operating parameter of the internal combustion engine. The method may also include calculating at least one of a power and an energy generatable by the waste heat utilization device via the control/regulating device as a function of the at least one operating parameter of the internal combustion engine. The method may further include switching the expander between an active state and an inactive state via the control/regulating device as a function of the at least one of the calculated power and the calculated energy.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2019Date of Patent: April 13, 2021Inventors: Michael Bucher, Michael Hoetger, Hannes Marlok, Harald Scherg-Kurmes, Gerd Wierczorek
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Patent number: 10859061Abstract: An axial piston machine may include a housing, a guide, a shaft, at least two cylinders each delimited by an associated cylinder wall, at least two pistons, a feed configured to supply a working fluid, an exhaust configured to discharge the working fluid, and at least one actuator configured to open and close a plurality of secondary outlets. Each associated cylinder wall may include a primary outlet and a secondary outlet of the plurality of secondary outlets. Each primary outlet and each secondary outlet may be fluidically connected to an outlet chamber that is fluidically connected to the exhaust. Each primary outlet may open into an associated primary outlet channel that opens into the outlet chamber. Each secondary outlet may be fluidically connected to an associated secondary outlet channel that opens into the outlet chamber and is separate from the plurality of primary outlet channels.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2018Date of Patent: December 8, 2020Inventors: Christoph Fiala, Michael Hoetger, Gunter Rzychon
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Patent number: 10851849Abstract: An engine assembly may include an internal combustion engine and an expander couplable to the internal combustion engine in a force transmitting manner. The engine assembly may also include a pulley mounted rotatably on a shaft of the expander. The pulley may be coupled to the internal combustion engine in a force-transmitting manner via a belt drive. The engine assembly may further include a first driver plate connected non-rotatably to the pulley and a second driver plate arranged adjacent thereto and connected non-rotatably to the shaft. The engine assembly may additionally include a clutch device including at least one actuating device and a coupling wheel. The coupling wheel may contact the first driver plate and the second driver plate when the clutch device is closed such that the pulley is connected with the shaft of the expander in a driving manner.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2018Date of Patent: December 1, 2020Inventors: Michael Bucher, Christoph Fiala, Michael Hoetger, Hannes Marlok, Lydia Ziegler
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Patent number: 10808675Abstract: An axial piston machine may include a rotor rotatably mounted in a housing. A plurality of cylinders may be arranged in a ring around the rotor. A plurality of pistons may each be arranged within each of the plurality of cylinders and may be constructed and arranged to selectively translate within the plurality of cylinders. A plurality of inlet openings may be defined in a cylinder head and at least one outlet opening may be defined in the housing. The plurality of cylinders may be in operative communication with the plurality of inlet openings and the at least one outlet opening. An inlet channel may be defined in the cylinder head and may extend to each of the plurality of inlet openings. An outlet channel may be defined in the housing and may be in operative communication with the at least one outlet opening. A bypass channel may be defined in the housing and may extend from the cylinder head into one of the outlet channel or a swashplate space.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2016Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: MAHLE INTERNATIONAL GMBHInventors: Michael Bucher, Mirko Guenther, Michael Hoetger, Michael Kreisig, Hannes Marlok, Falk Schneider
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Patent number: 10746233Abstract: An engine assembly may include an internal combustion engine, an expander coupled to the engine, a pulley rotatably arranged on a shaft of the expander and coupled to the engine, a coupling device including at least one elastic operating element arranged within an operating element accommodation in an axially deformable manner, a drive disk arranged on the shaft between the pulley and the at least one operating element, and a pressure device connected to the operating element accommodation via a fluid line and configured to apply pressure to the operating element accommodation. The at least one operating element may be deformable in an axial direction such that the at least one operating element adjusts the drive disk into force-transferring contact with the pulley when the at least one operating element is deformed by a pressure applied to the operating element accommodation by the pressure device.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2018Date of Patent: August 18, 2020Assignee: Mahle International GmbHInventors: Michael Bucher, Christoph Fiala, Michael Hoetger, Hannes Marlok, Lydia Ziegler
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Patent number: 10669983Abstract: An axial piston machine may include a rotor with a shaft. A plurality of cylinders may be arranged in an annular manner about the shaft. A plurality of pistons may each be positioned within each of the plurality of cylinders and may be constructed and arranged to move translationally within the plurality of cylinders. A cylinder head may include a plurality of inlet openings and may be in operative communication with the plurality of cylinders. A sealing washer having a plurality of passage openings may be disposed on the cylinder head so that the plurality of passage openings and the plurality of inlet openings may be flush with one another. A number of the plurality of inlet openings may correspond to a number of the plurality of passage openings. A valve plate may be connected to the shaft in a rotationally fixed manner and may be constructed and arranged to be brought into congruence with the plurality of passage openings of the sealing washer based on a rotary angle.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2016Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: Mahle International GmbHInventors: Michael Bucher, Christoph Fiala, Mirko Guenther, Michael Hoetger, Falk Schneider
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Patent number: 10641134Abstract: A waste-heat recovery system may include a waste-heat recovery circuit in which a working fluid is circulatable and which has a high pressure region and a low pressure region. The system may also include a conveying device configured to drive the working fluid, a steam generator configured to evaporate the working fluid, an expansion machine configured to expand the working fluid via mechanical work, at least one condenser configured to condense the working fluid, a container arranged downstream of the at least one condenser, and a divider arranged in a container interior of the container which may divide the container interior into a first sub-chamber and a second sub-chamber. The second sub-chamber may be Tillable with a coolant, which is introducible into the at least one condenser fluidically separately from the working fluid via a fluid line, such that the working fluid is condensable via thermal interaction with the coolant.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2017Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: Mahle International GmbHInventors: Michael Bucher, Michael Hoetger
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Publication number: 20200123933Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine having a waste heat utilization device including a waste heat utilization cycle in which a valve mechanism, an evaporator, and an expander are arranged, may include adjusting the valve mechanism between an evaporator position and a bypass position via a control/regulating device as a function of at least one operating parameter of the internal combustion engine. The method may also include calculating at least one of a power and an energy generatable by the waste heat utilization device via the control/regulating device as a function of the at least one operating parameter of the internal combustion engine. The method may further include switching the expander between an active state and an inactive state via the control/regulating device as a function of the at least one of the calculated power and the calculated energy.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2019Publication date: April 23, 2020Inventors: Michael Bucher, Michael Hoetger, Hannes Marlok, Harald Scherg-Kurmes, Gerd Wierczorek
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Patent number: 10612513Abstract: An axial piston machine may include a rotor having a shaft rotatably mounted in a housing. A plurality of cylinders may be arranged annularly around the rotor. A plurality of pistons may each be disposed within each of the plurality of cylinders and may be constructed and arranged to selectively translate within each of the plurality of cylinders. Each of the plurality of cylinders may be disposed within a cylinder head and may be in operative communication with an inlet opening defined in the cylinder head and at least one outlet opening defined in the housing. An auxiliary outlet rotary slide valve may be operatively connected to the shaft in a rotationally fixed manner. The auxiliary outlet rotary slide valve may comprises an auxiliary outlet rotary opening constructed and arranged to connect to a vent duct of one of the plurality of cylinders based on an angle of rotation, and may vent the one of the plurality of cylinders.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2016Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: Mahle International GmbHInventors: Michael Bucher, Christoph Fiala, Mirko Guenther, Michael Hoetger, Hannes Marlock, Falk Schneider
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Patent number: 10451027Abstract: An axial piston machine may include a shaft and a housing surrounding at least a portion of the shaft. A cylinder arrangement may be disposed within the housing in a circular manner. The cylinder arrangement may include a plurality of cylinders and a plurality of pistons each extending within each of the plurality of cylinders and may be constructed and arranged to drive the shaft. The plurality of cylinders may each include an expansion volume with an inlet and at least one outlet opening for a working medium. A cylinder head may be provided on the housing and may be constructed and arranged to close the plurality of cylinders of the cylinder arrangement. A cavity may be defined around the shaft in a central region of the cylinder arrangement and may be in operative communication with a plurality of auxiliary outlet openings of the expansion volume of each of the plurality of cylinders via a temporary connection.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2016Date of Patent: October 22, 2019Assignee: Mahle International GmbHInventors: Michael Bucher, Christoph Fiala, Mirko Guenther, Michael Hoetger, Gunter Rzychon
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Publication number: 20190301311Abstract: A waste-heat recovery system may include a waste-heat recovery circuit in which a working fluid is circulatable and which has a high pressure region and a low pressure region. The system may also include a conveying device configured to drive the working fluid, a steam generator configured to evaporate the working fluid, an expansion machine configured to expand the working fluid via mechanical work, at least one condenser configured to condense the working fluid, a container arranged downstream of the at least one condenser, and a divider arranged in a container interior of the container which may divide the container interior into a first sub-chamber and a second sub-chamber. The second sub-chamber may be Tillable with a coolant, which is introducible into the at least one condenser fluidically separately from the working fluid via a fluid line, such that the working fluid is condensable via thermal interaction with the coolant.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2017Publication date: October 3, 2019Inventors: Michael BUCHER, Michael HÖTGER
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Publication number: 20190257215Abstract: An axial piston machine may include a rotor mounted rotatably in a housing. The axial piston machine may also include a plurality of cylinders in which a plurality of pistons are disposed such that the plurality of pistons are translationally movable. The plurality of cylinders may be arranged in a ring-like manner around the rotor. Further, the axial piston machine may include a starter device configured to exert a pulse-like torque on the rotor to initiate a starting operation. The starter device may be couplable to the rotor.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2016Publication date: August 22, 2019Inventors: Michael Bucher, Christoph Fiala, Mirko Guenther, Michael Hoetger
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Publication number: 20180355924Abstract: An engine assembly may include an internal combustion engine, an expander coupled to the engine, a pulley rotatably arranged on a shaft of the expander and coupled to the engine, a coupling device including at least one elastic operating element arranged within an operating element accommodation in an axially deformable manner, a drive disk arranged on the shaft between the pulley and the at least one operating element, and a pressure device connected to the operating element accommodation via a fluid line and configured to apply pressure to the operating element accommodation. The at least one operating element may be deformable in an axial direction such that the at least one operating element adjusts the drive disk into force-transferring contact with the pulley when the at least one operating element is deformed by a pressure applied to the operating element accommodation by the pressure device.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2018Publication date: December 13, 2018Inventors: Michael Bucher, Christoph Fiala, Michael Hoetger, Hannes Marlok, Lydia Ziegler
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Publication number: 20180291967Abstract: An engine assembly may include an internal combustion engine and an expander couplable to the internal combustion engine in a force transmitting manner. The engine assembly may also include a pulley mounted rotatably on a shaft of the expander. The pulley may be coupled to the internal combustion engine in a force-transmitting manner via a belt drive. The engine assembly may further include a first driver plate connected non-rotatably to the pulley and a second driver plate arranged adjacent thereto and connected non-rotatably to the shaft. The engine assembly may additionally include a clutch device including at least one actuating device and a coupling wheel. The coupling wheel may contact the first driver plate and the second driver plate when the clutch device is closed such that the pulley is connected with the shaft of the expander in a driving manner.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2018Publication date: October 11, 2018Inventors: Michael Bucher, Christoph Fiala, Michael Hoetger, Hannes Marlok, Lydia Ziegler
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Publication number: 20180258907Abstract: An axial piston machine may include a housing, a guide, a shaft, at least two cylinders each delimited by an associated cylinder wall, at least two pistons, a feed configured to supply a working fluid, an exhaust configured to discharge the working fluid, and at least one actuator configured to open and close a plurality of secondary outlets. Each associated cylinder wall may include a primary outlet and a secondary outlet of the plurality of secondary outlets. Each primary outlet and each secondary outlet may be fluidically connected to an outlet chamber that is fluidically connected to the exhaust. Each primary outlet may open into an associated primary outlet channel that opens into the outlet chamber. Each secondary outlet may be fluidically connected to an associated secondary outlet channel that opens into the outlet chamber and is separate from the plurality of primary outlet channels.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2018Publication date: September 13, 2018Inventors: Christoph Fiala, Michael Hoetger, Gunter Rzychon
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Publication number: 20180135413Abstract: An axial piston machine may include a a housing having vapor, cylinder chamber and wobble-plate chambers. The machine may have cylinders arranged annularly around a shaft in the cylinder chamber and having pistons arranged therein in a translationally movable manner, a valve disk connected to the shaft in a rotationally fixed manner and arranged in the vapor chamber, and a wobble plate connected to one of the pistons via a cup and ball bearing and to the shaft in a rotationally fixed manner, the wobble plate being arranged in the wobble-plate chamber. The housing may have steam-chamber, cylinder, and wobble-plate housing parts connected to one another. A cylinder sleeve having a radially protruding collar may be provided in at least one cylinder, wherein the cylinder sleeve may be retained via the collar in a cut-out in the cylinder housing part, which may adjoin a parting plane between the vapor-chamber and cylinder housing parts.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2016Publication date: May 17, 2018Inventors: Michael Bucher, Christoph Fiala, Mirko Guenther, Michael Hoetger, Hannes Marlock, Berthold Repgen, Falk Schneider
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Publication number: 20180058421Abstract: An axial piston machine may include a shaft and a housing surrounding at least a portion of the shaft. A cylinder arrangement may be disposed within the housing in a circular manner. The cylinder arrangement may include a plurality of cylinders and a plurality of pistons each extending within each of the plurality of cylinders and may be constructed and arranged to drive the shaft. The plurality of cylinders may each include an expansion volume with an inlet and at least one outlet opening for a working medium. A cylinder head may be provided on the housing and may be constructed and arranged to close the plurality of cylinders of the cylinder arrangement. A cavity may be defined around the shaft in a central region of the cylinder arrangement and may be in operative communication with a plurality of auxiliary outlet openings of the expansion volume of each of the plurality of cylinders via a temporary connection.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2016Publication date: March 1, 2018Inventors: Michael Bucher, Christoph Fiala, Mirko Guenther, Michael Hoetger, Gunter Rzychon
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Publication number: 20180045173Abstract: An axial piston machine may include a rotor rotatably mounted in a housing. A plurality of cylinders may be arranged in a ring around the rotor. A plurality of pistons may each be arranged within each of the plurality of cylinders and may be constructed and arranged to selectively translate within the plurality of cylinders. A plurality of inlet openings may be defined in a cylinder head and at least one outlet opening may be defined in the housing. The plurality of cylinders may be in operative communication with the plurality of inlet openings and the at least one outlet opening. An inlet channel may be defined in the cylinder head and may extend to each of the plurality of inlet openings. An outlet channel may be defined in the housing and may be in operative communication with the at least one outlet opening. A bypass channel may be defined in the housing and may extend from the cylinder head into one of the outlet channel or a swashplate space.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2016Publication date: February 15, 2018Inventors: Michael Bucher, Mirko Guenther, Michael Hoetger, Michael Kreisig, Hannes Marlock, Falk Schneider