Patents by Inventor Paul Zandbergen

Paul Zandbergen 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: 9061563
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wheel suspension for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, having a transverse leaf spring arranged transversely relative to a vehicle longitudinal axis. The transverse leaf spring is supported at each of the two sides of a vehicle longitudinal center plane by at least one resilient member on a vehicle-side support which is securely connected to the vehicle superstructure or an auxiliary frame which is connected to the vehicle superstructure. The resilient member and the support form an articulated engagement. With an articulated engagement provided at each side of the vehicle longitudinal center plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Alberto Girelli Consolaro, Marc Simon, Paul Zandbergen, Thomas Gerhards, Walter Shimpl
  • Publication number: 20150061255
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a leaf spring bearing for a vehicle with a transverse leaf spring. The leaf spring bearing comprises an upper bearing block and a lower bearing block. Each bearing block is formed at least partially of elastic material and comprises an upper support surface and a lower support surface between which a portion of the transverse leaf spring can be interposed. At least one of the upper and lower bearing blocks has a bearing core and an insert positioned in the elastic material between the upper and lower support surfaces so as to define three layers of the elastic material within the at least one bearing block. At least one of the upper and lower bearing blocks has two support plates arranged either outside the elastic material or at least partially surrounded by the elastic material in the area of the upper and lower support surfaces of the bearing block.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Alberto GIRELLI CONSOLARO, Marc SIMON, Paul ZANDBERGEN
  • Publication number: 20140375013
    Abstract: An independent wheel suspension for the driven wheels of a vehicle is disclosed. The suspension includes a wheel carrier for rotatably supporting a wheel of the vehicle. The wheel carrier is connected to a torsion-resistant transverse link. The torsion-resistant transverse link is connected to the vehicle structure via two structure-side link bearings and to the wheel carrier via two wheel-carrier-side link bearings. The wheel carrier also is connected to two additional transverse links, each of the additional transverse links being connected to the vehicle structure and to the wheel carrier. The suspension also includes a carrier spring supported on the vehicle structure and on the wheel carrier, wherein the carrier spring is arranged in front of a wheel center axis and the at least two additional transverse links are arranged behind the wheel axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Paul ZANDBERGEN, Daniel MAINZ
  • Publication number: 20140353937
    Abstract: A multilink rear axle comprises a wheel carrier, a leaf spring, a first lower control arm, an upper control arm, and at least one member. The wheel carrier can rotatably support a wheel of the vehicle. The leaf spring can extend in a width direction of the vehicle that is transverse to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The first lower control arm can extend in the width direction and is pivotably coupled to the wheel carrier at a rear half thereof. The upper control arm can extend in the width direction and can be pivotably coupled to the wheel carrier at an attachment point that is offset from the rotation axis of the supported wheel in the longitudinal direction by less than or equal to 100 mm. The at least one member can pivotably couple the leaf spring to the upper control arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Alberto GIRELLI CONSOLARO, Paul ZANDBERGEN, Marc SIMON, Christoph MEIER
  • Publication number: 20140291951
    Abstract: An independent wheel suspension for the non-driven wheels of a vehicle comprises a wheel carrier for rotatably mounting a wheel of the vehicle, the wheel carrier being connected to a first transverse link and a second transverse link. The first transverse link is configured to be torsionally stiff and comprises a U-shaped opening in the link. The first transverse link is connected to the vehicle body via two link bearings on a body side and is connected to the wheel carrier via two link bearings on a wheel carrier side. The wheel suspension includes a bearing spring supported on the vehicle body and on the wheel carrier and positioned within the U-shaped opening of the first transverse link.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Paul ZANDBERGEN, Daniel MAINZ, Steve Scott ALLEN
  • Publication number: 20140175767
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wheel suspension for a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, having a transverse leaf spring arranged transversely relative to a vehicle longitudinal axis. The transverse leaf spring is supported at each of the two sides of a vehicle longitudinal center plane by at least one resilient member on a vehicle-side support which is securely connected to the vehicle superstructure or an auxiliary frame which is connected to the vehicle superstructure. The resilient member and the support form an articulated engagement. With an articulated engagement provided at each side of the vehicle longitudinal center plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicants: Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik AG and CoAG, Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Alberto Girelli Consolaro, Marc Simon, Paul Zandbergen, Thomas Gerhards, Walter Shimpl
  • Patent number: 8684380
    Abstract: The invention concerns a wheel suspension system for the non-steered wheels (16) of a motor vehicle, with a twist beam axle (2) which comprises two wheel-supporting trailing arms (3, 13) pivotably mounted on a motor vehicle body (15) and a cross member (6) connecting the trailing arms (3, 13) together, and a Watt linkage (8) also connecting the trailing arms (3, 13) together, at least one articulated holder (10) being integrated in each trailing arm (3, 13) itself for articulated coupling of the Watt linkage (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Zandbergen, Andreas Carlitz, Theo Kueppers
  • Publication number: 20120306176
    Abstract: The invention concerns a wheel suspension system for the non-steered wheels (16) of a motor vehicle, with a twist beam axle (2) which comprises two wheel-supporting trailing arms (3, 13) pivotably mounted on a motor vehicle body (15) and a cross member (6) connecting the trailing arms (3, 13) together, and a Watt linkage (8) also connecting the trailing arms (3, 13) together, at least one articulated holder (10) being integrated in each trailing arm (3, 13) itself for articulated coupling of the Watt linkage (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: Paul Zandbergen, Andreas Carlitz, Theo Kueppers
  • Publication number: 20120235373
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for steering wheels of at least one vehicle axle with a double-pivot steering system having a load adjusting device associated with the wheels and using the load adjusting device to modify a contact force of a wheel on the vehicle axle, during cornering, to adopt an angle of steering lock for a wheel on an outside bend that is larger than an angle of steering lock for a wheel on an inside bend.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Inventors: Ralf Hintzen, Thomas Gerhards, Friedrich Peter Wolf-Monheim, Paul Zandbergen
  • Patent number: 8267416
    Abstract: A wheel suspension system for a vehicle includes a first member pivotably coupled to a portion of the vehicle so as to be pivotable about a first rotational axis which forms an angle with a vertical plane extending through a fore-aft axis of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steve Scott Allen, Alberto Girelli Consolaro, Paul Zandbergen, Greg N. Gombert, Andrew B. Lane, Steven C Hopson
  • Publication number: 20110291376
    Abstract: A wheel suspension system for a vehicle includes a first member pivotably coupled to a portion of the vehicle so as to be pivotable about a first rotational axis which forms an angle with a vertical plane extending through a fore-aft axis of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: Steve Scott Allen, Alberto Girelli Consolaro, Paul Zandbergen, Greg N. Gombert, Andrew B. Lane, Steven C. Hopson
  • Patent number: 7029017
    Abstract: A wheel suspension with a transverse leaf spring (1a–1c) which is articulated at both ends on wheel carriers. The transverse leaf spring shaped symmetrically to the vehicle longitudinal axis (L) has a curved profile with a middle region (1a) offset parallel to the wheel axis. The transverse leaf spring is supported on the vehicle body by means of two transverse leaf spring bearings (2) with high lateral rigidity. The curved profile of the transverse leaf spring with four arcs (1d, 1e) allows for a bending of the middle region (1a) to take place essentially without a change in the tread width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Zandbergen, Shawn Chambers
  • Publication number: 20040004336
    Abstract: A wheel suspension with a transverse leaf spring (1a-1c) which is articulated at both ends on wheel carriers. The transverse leaf spring shaped symmetrically to the vehicle longitudinal axis (L) has a curved profile with a middle region (1a) offset parallel to the wheel axis. The transverse leaf spring is supported on the vehicle body by means of two transverse leaf spring bearings (2) with high lateral rigidity. What is achieved by the curved profile of the transverse leaf spring with four arcs (1d, 1e) is that a bending of the middle region (1a) can take place essentially without a change in the tread width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Publication date: January 8, 2004
    Inventors: Paul Zandbergen, Shawn Chambers