Patents by Inventor Olaf Abels

Olaf Abels 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).

  • Publication number: 20100025950
    Abstract: A ball and socket joint is provided preferably for use in vehicles and especially in the area of the chassis of motor vehicles. The joint has a ball and socket joint housing having a joint opening, with a ball pivot, which is arranged in the ball and socket joint housing, extends through the joint opening and has a shaft. A support ring is arranged on the shaft of the ball pivot and has a radially extending flange. A sealing element is arranged between the support ring as well as an adjoining component formed by a profiled body (15), which is connected to the support ring (5) in substance, is provided with at least one sealing segment (16) and is in contact with the shaft (10) of the ball pivot (1) and/or with a connection component (11) in at least one profiled section via a sealing segment (16).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: Frank Budde, Markus Thoelking, Olaf Abels, Werner Duesing
  • Publication number: 20090209353
    Abstract: A sealing bellows or bellows for sealing two components (1, 2) movable in relation to one another is presented, which has two edge areas (4, 5), which are located at spaced locations from one another, are connected by a jacket (3) and in which a clamping element (6, 7) each is embedded. The jacket (3) has a plurality of internal diameters (d2, d3, d4) of different values and the internal diameter (d1) of one of the edge areas (4, 5) of the sealing bellows or bellows (8) is larger than the largest of the internal diameters (d2, d3, d4) of jacket (3) of the sealing bellows or bellows (8). Such a sealing bellows or bellows can be used especially for a ball and socket joint of a motor vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Inventors: Olaf Abels, Arnold Blanke, Jens Diekhoff, Hermann Heitmann, Josef Holtheide, Nedal Idies
  • Publication number: 20070231060
    Abstract: A sealing bellows is provided for a ball-and-socket joint having a ball with a pivot (6) originating from the ball and a housing (40) accommodating the ball. The sealing bellows extends between the pivot (6) and the ball housing. The sealing bellows has a pivot-side sealing area (12), a jacket area (13) and a housing-side sealing area (24) consisting of an elastomeric material. At least one sealing area (12) consists of an elastomeric material different from that of the jacket area (13).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2005
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventor: Olaf Abels
  • Patent number: 7244074
    Abstract: A ball and socket joint (1) is provided, for example, for a chassis bearing, with a ball (2), a pivot (3) originating from the ball (2), a housing (4) accommodating the ball, and a sealing bellows (5), which extends between the housing (4) and the pivot (3) and has a housing-side opening (6) and a pivot-side opening (7). The sealing bellows (5) has a circumferential sealing lip (8) for sealing at the pivot-side opening (7). The ball and socket joint (1) has a first guide ring (9), which guides the sealing bellows (5). The first guide ring (9) is arranged at the pivot (3). An especially favorable functional separation is achieved as a result between the guiding function and the sealing function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Olaf Abels, Jürgen Gräber, Jochen Kruse, Volker Grube, Dirk Lamla, Manfred Bohne, Melanie Enkler, Metin Ersoy, Achim Möll, Thomas Rösler, Wolfgang Schmitt
  • Patent number: 7125513
    Abstract: A process for controlling the shrinkage behavior during the original shaping of plastics during the manufacture of a plastic shell, especially a bearing shell for a ball-and-socket joint, wherein liquefied plastic is introduced between an inner mold (3) and an outer mold (2) in order to be cured therein, wherein the plastic is partially fixed on the outer mold (2) during the curing. This process can be preferably used in a device for controlling the shrinkage behavior during the original shaping of plastics, which has a casting mold, which accommodates at least one outer mold (2) and an inner mold (3) inserted into same, wherein the liquefied plastic (1) to be molded can be introduced between the mold parts (2, 3), wherein means for fixing the liquid plastic (1) are formed on the outer mold (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: ZF Lemforder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Olaf Abels, Martin Rechtien
  • Publication number: 20060222452
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a joint (1) with a joint housing (2) and with a joint shell (3) arranged therein with a ball (4), whose pivot pin (5) protrudes from the joint housing (2) and is surrounded by a rubber bellows (6) with a protective cap (7), wherein a ring (8) for holding the protective cap (7) is connected to the edge area (6a) of the rubber bellows (6), which said edge area (6a) concentrically surrounds the pivot pin (5), and wherein the ring (8) has a circular bead (8b, 8c) on its annular outer side (8a) and is vulcanized into the edge area (6a) of the rubber bellows (6), and the protective cap (7) is provided on its inner side (7a) with a plurality of projections (9), which can be bent from the outside through openings (10) in the protective cap (7) by means of a tool (11) radially (arrow 12) in relation to the pivot pin (5) against the bead (8b, 8c) of the ring (8) in a non-positive and positive-locking manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Publication date: October 5, 2006
    Inventors: Olaf Abels, Jens Wohlers
  • Patent number: 7070355
    Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint has a housing, a ball pivot (3) mounted pivotably in the housing, and a sealing bellows (1), which is fastened to the housing and is mounted on the ball pivot (3) slidably via a sealing ring (4) provided with two legs (5, 6). A first leg (5) of the two legs (5, 6) is in contact with the ball pivot (3) under tension and the second leg (6) meshes with the wall of the sealing bellows (1). The second leg (6) is, furthermore, fastened in an anchoring ring (7) arranged at least partially in the wall of the sealing bellows (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2006
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Olaf Abels, Dieter Gröger
  • Patent number: 7037023
    Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint, especially a wheel guide joint for motor vehicles is provided with a housing (1), in the cavity (2) of which, which is open on at least one side, a bearing shell (3) is inserted with a joint ball (4) mounted therein. The bearing shell (3) forms a assembly unit (3,4) together with the joint ball (4) accommodated therein. The assembly unit is displaceable in the cavity (2) along a axis (6). A first collar (7) and a second collar (8), between which a limited free path (5) of the displaceable assembly unit (3, 4) is defined, form end stops in the cavity (2) of the housing (1). The bearing shell (3) is a accomodated in the cavity (2) under a slight radial pretension and at least one compensating element (15) is arranged between the bearing shell (3) and the inner surface of the cavity (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Andreas Mönninghoff, Martin Wellerding, Martin Rechtien, Olaf Abels, Matthias Gercke
  • Patent number: 6935803
    Abstract: A joint (1) with a joint housing (2) and with a joint shell (3) is arranged therein with a ball (4) having a pivot pin (5) protruding from the joint housing (2) and surrounded by a rubber bellows (6) with a protective cap (7). A ring (8) for holding the protective cap (7) is connected to the edge area (6a) of the rubber bellows (6). The edge area (6a) concentrically surrounds the pivot pin (5). The ring (8) has a circular bead (8b, 8c) on its annular outer side (8a) and is vulcanized into the edge area (6a) of the rubber bellows (6). The protective cap (7) is provided on its inner side (7a) with a plurality of projections (9), which can be bent from the outside through openings (10) in the protective cap (7) by means of a tool (11) radially (arrow 12) in relation to the pivot pin (5) against the bead (8b, 8c) of the ring (8) in a non-positive and positive locking manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Olaf Abels, Jens Wohlers
  • Publication number: 20050152738
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a joint (1) with a joint housing (2) and with a joint shell (3) arranged therein with a ball (4), whose pivot pin (5) protrudes from the joint housing (2) and is surrounded by a rubber bellows (6) with a protective cap (7), wherein a ring (8) for holding the protective cap (7) is connected to the edge area (6a) of the rubber bellows (6), which said edge area (6a) concentrically surrounds the pivot pin (5), and wherein the ring (8) has a circular bead (8b, 8c) on its annular outer side (8a) and is vulcanized into the edge area (6a) of the rubber bellows (6), and the protective cap (7) is provided on its inner side (7a) with a plurality of projections (9), which can be bent from the outside through openings (10) in the protective cap (7) by means of a tool (11) radially (arrow 12) in relation to the pivot pin (5) against the bead (8b, 8c) of the ring (8) in a non-positive and positive-locking manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2005
    Publication date: July 14, 2005
    Inventors: Olaf Abels, Jens Wohlers
  • Patent number: 6913409
    Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint for motor vehicles has a ball pivot with at least a joint ball (4) accommodated rotatably and/or pivotably in a bearing shell (2) of a housing (3) and a pivot section (5). A sealing bellows is provided with a first edge area (7) fastened to the housing (3) and withe a second edge area (8) has a sliding connection with a thrust ring (9), which is fixed on the pivot section (5) and comprises an axial shoulder (10) and a radial shoulder (11), wherein the radial shoulder (11) of the thrust ring (9) forms a wave-shaped contour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventor: Olaf Abels
  • Publication number: 20050042022
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a ball and socket joint (1), for example, for a chassis bearing, with a ball (2), a pivot (3) originating from the ball (2), a housing (4) accommodating the ball, and a sealing bellows (5), which extends between the housing (4) and the pivot (3) and has a housing-side opening (6) and a pivot-side opening (7), wherein the sealing bellows (5) has a circumferential sealing lip (8) for sealing at the pivot-side opening (7). The ball and socket joint (1) according to the present invention is characterized in that a first guide ring (9), which guides the sealing bellows (5), is arranged at the pivot (3). An especially favorable functional separation is achieved as a result between the guiding function and the sealing function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2004
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Inventors: Olaf Abels, Jurgen Graber, Jochen Kruse, Volker Grube, Dirk Lamla, Manfred Bohne, Melanie Enkler, Metin Ersoy, Achim Moll, Thomas Rosler, Wolfgang Schmitt
  • Patent number: 6857811
    Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint for motor vehicles is presented, which has a ball pivot (1), which comprises at least one joint ball (4) accommodated rotatably and/or pivotably in a bearing shell (2) of a housing (3), and a pivot section (5). A sealing bellows (6), whose first edge area (7) is fastened to the housing (3) and whose second edge area (8) has a sliding connection with a thrust ring (9) fixed on the pivot section (5), is used to seal the joint components. A protective cover (11), which is used to seal the thrust ring area as well as for shielding against damaging heat radiation and against the effects of splash water or corrosive media, is inserted between a surface of the thrust ring (9) and the surface of a motor vehicle component (10), which said surface faces the said surface of the thrust ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventor: Olaf Abels
  • Publication number: 20040217554
    Abstract: An elastic sealing bellows for a ball and socket joint, preferably for chassis suspensions or steering mechanisms of motor vehicles is presented, in which the ball and socket joint has a joint housing with a pivot pin, which is mounted therein rotatably and pivotably and is fixed therein with a corresponding pin part at a chassis-side mount. The sealing bellows (1) is fixed statically at the joint housing and by a sealing seat (8) having a sealing lip (7), which surrounds the pin part (4), and is arranged at a sealing bellows flange and bulges forward toward the pin part (4) in a bead-like manner. The internal diameter (d) surrounding the pin part (4) is selected to be smaller than the external diameter (D) of the corresponding area of the pin part. A pushing spring system has a pushing force generated by the deformation of the sealing lip (7) and provides a sufficient pressing force to achieve a durable sealing action of the sealing seat (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Inventor: Olaf Abels
  • Publication number: 20040130070
    Abstract: A process for controlling the shrinkage behavior during the original shaping of plastics during the manufacture of a plastic shell, especially a bearing shell for a ball-and-socket joint, wherein liquefied plastic is introduced between an inner mold (3) and an outer mold (2) in order to be cured therein, wherein the plastic is partially fixed on the outer mold (2) during the curing. This process can be preferably used in a device for controlling the shrinkage behavior during the original shaping of plastics, which has a casting mold, which accommodates at least one outer mold (2) and an inner mold (3) inserted into same, wherein the liquefied plastic (1) to be molded can be introduced between the mold parts (2, 3), wherein means for fixing the liquid plastic (1) are formed on the outer mold (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventors: Olaf Abels, Martin Rechtien
  • Patent number: 6749360
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for motor vehicle suspension arms or subframes is provided. A motor vehicle apparatus and method is used with frame components. The motor vehicle component includes frame parts of lightweight design that have complementary profiles that can be inserted one another to create a locking connection between the frame parts. The invention frame parts may be designed as extruded profiles. The motor vehicle component allows for the individual frame parts to be manufactured separately from one another and combined wherein the number and cross section of the stiffening ribs are selectable in a load dependant way in the form a modular system and different materials may be used for individual components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventor: Olaf Abels
  • Publication number: 20040101353
    Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint for motor vehicles is presented, which has a ball pivot (1), which comprises at least one joint ball (4) accommodated rotatably and/or pivotably in a bearing shell (2) of a housing (3), and a pivot section (5). A sealing bellows (6), whose first edge area (7) is fastened to the housing (3) and whose second edge area (8) has a sliding connection with a thrust ring (9) fixed on the pivot section (5), is used to seal the joint components. A protective cover (11), which is used to seal the thrust ring area as well as for shielding against damaging heat radiation and against the effects of splash water or corrosive media, is inserted between a surface of the thrust ring (9) and the surface of a motor vehicle component (10), which said surface faces the said surface of the thrust ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Inventor: Olaf Abels
  • Publication number: 20040096264
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a ball-and-socket joint for motor vehicles with
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventor: Olaf Abels
  • Publication number: 20040028302
    Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint is disclosed with a housing 1 a bearing shell 2 inserted into same, a ball pivot 3, whose joint ball 3.1 is mounted in the bearing shell movably in all directions, and a sealing bellows 4 between the housing and the ball pivot. A sliding ring 6 receiving the pivot-side edge area 4.1 of the sealing bellows 4 is inserted into a ball race 5 fixed on the ball pivot 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Applicant: ZF Lemforder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Olaf Abels, Klaus Broker
  • Publication number: 20030202842
    Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint, preferably for vehicle suspensions or steering mechanisms of motor vehicles, with a joint housing, a pivot pin (1), which comprises a spherical surface (3) and a pin part (2) and is mounted with the spherical surface rotatably and deflectably in the joint housing (5) and is fixed with the pin part (2) on a mount (7) provided on the chassis, and with an elastic sealing bellows (8), which is fixed statically at the joint housing (5) and by means of at least one sealing seat at the pin part (2), is presented, in which the sealing seat has according to the present invention an elastic sealing ring (11) that is directly in contact with the pin part (2) under pretension or is connected to same in substance between the sealing bellows (8) and the pin part (2) and an annular sleeve (13) arranged between the sealing bellows (8) and the sealing ring (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2003
    Publication date: October 30, 2003
    Inventor: Olaf Abels