Patents by Inventor Paul-Erich Schönenbrücher

Paul-Erich Schönenbrücher 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: 6394246
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for controlling an axle drive for the purpose of distributing torque from a propulsion shaft to two axle shafts, having a coupling carrier which is rotatably supported in a axle drive housing, and two controllable friction couplings arranged in the coupling carrier and provided for engageably connecting and driving the axle shafts, with first friction plates of each friction coupling being non-rotatably connected to the coupling carrier and with second friction plates of each friction coupling being non-rotatably connected to the respective axle shaft, and having two actuating devices for the two friction couplings, which actuating devices, when the two axle shafts both rotate in the same direction relative to the coupling carrier, function autonomously independently of one another, and when the two axle shafts rotate in opposite directions relative to the coupling carrier, the actuating devices are shut down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: GKN Viscodrive GmbH
    Inventors: Theodor Gassmann, Paul-Erich Schönenbrücher