Patents by Inventor Rainer Krafft
Rainer Krafft 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: 8925703Abstract: The invention proposes a friction coupling, in particular for use in motor vehicles, e.g. for controlling an air compressor, in which coupling at least two friction surfaces can be brought into frictional connection. According to the invention, two conical friction surface pairs are provided.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2009Date of Patent: January 6, 2015Assignee: Licos Trucktec GmbHInventors: Andreas Wolf, Rainer Krafft, Edgar Hepp
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Patent number: 8776976Abstract: An electromagnetic friction clutch including a rotor, further clutch element which orbits a common axis of rotation with the rotor and is supported so that it can rotate relative to the rotor, eddy current elements for transmitting a rotational movement on the principle of an eddy current clutch, one of the eddy current elements being rotationally fixed to the further clutch element, and one or more magnetic elements rotationally fixed to the rotor so as to orbit one of the eddy current elements.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2010Date of Patent: July 15, 2014Assignee: Licos Trucktec GmbHInventor: Rainer Krafft
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Patent number: 8739952Abstract: An electromagnetic friction disk clutch for use in vehicles is described, which permits a significant saving in energy over known clutches. For this purpose, the clutch according to the invention is embodied in such a way that an electromagnet is loaded with a raised strength of current only to change over between the clutch states of the engaged state and the disengaged state. While the clutch remains in these states up to the next shifting process, the supply of current to the solenoid can be greatly reduced or even switched off.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2010Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: Licos Trucktec GmbHInventors: Rainer Krafft, Sigmund Geiger
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Patent number: 8573375Abstract: The invention discloses an electromagnetic friction clutch for driving a fan impeller in the engine compartment of a vehicle. The clutch includes a disk rotor consisting of a plane flat part, a further clutch element which is supported so that it is freely rotatable and which can be driven by the rotor through controllable friction contact, and elements for transmitting a rotational movement according to a principle of an eddy current drive with an eddy current ring fitted to the outer edge area of the disk rotor of the clutch.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2010Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: Licos Trucktec GmbHInventors: Rainer Krafft, Jürgen D'Angel
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Patent number: 8011486Abstract: An electromagnetically actuatable clutch for a water pump in a cooling water circuit of an internal combustion engine, having a drive wheel rotatably mounted relative to the water pump, and an armature disk, which interacts with a coil. The armature disk and a functional component of an eddy current clutch are connected to the drive wheel so that the drive wheel, armature disk and first functional component run synchronously when they rotate. The armature disk can be moved axially with the first functional component by energizing the coil. A second functional component of the eddy current clutch is provided arranged in a fixed fashion on a shaft coupled to the water pump. A friction mechanism is provided between the first and second functional components to provide a frictional locking engagement between the two functional components that is released by energizing the coil.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2009Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: Licos Trucktec GmbHInventors: Jan Juergensmeyer, Rainer Krafft, Sigmund Geiger
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Publication number: 20110182757Abstract: An apparatus is proposed for a pump, in particular a water pump of a motor vehicle having a rotating pump wheel which can be driven, and having a switchable clutch arrangement for switchable connection of the pump wheel to a drive side. According to the invention, the pump wheel is mounted such that it can rotate on a rotatable driveshaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2011Publication date: July 28, 2011Applicant: LICOS Trucktec GmbHInventors: Andreas Wolf, Rainer Krafft
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Publication number: 20110005887Abstract: The invention discloses an electromagnetic friction clutch for driving a fan impeller in the engine compartment of a vehicle, for example, the clutch comprising a disk rotor consisting of a plane flat part, a further clutch element which is supported so that it is freely rotatable and which can be driven by the rotor through controllable friction contact, and elements for transmitting a rotational movement according to the principle of an eddy current drive. An eddy current ring is fitted to the outer edge area of the disk rotor, thereby allowing a compact and cost-effectively simple construction of the clutch.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2010Publication date: January 13, 2011Applicant: Licos Trucktec GmbHInventors: Rainer Krafft, Jürgen D'angel
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Publication number: 20110005883Abstract: An electromagnetic friction clutch having an eddy current drive is disclosed, said clutch being used for controllably driving auxiliary units such as a coolant pump, for example, in vehicles. An advantageous, rotationally fixed connection of magnetic elements of the eddy current drive to a rotor allows a plurality of embodiments of the invention, with various design simplifications.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2010Publication date: January 13, 2011Applicant: Licos Trucktec GmbHInventor: Rainer Krafft
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Publication number: 20100263981Abstract: An electromagnetic friction disk clutch for use in vehicles is described, which permits a significant saving in energy over known clutches. For this purpose, the clutch according to the invention is embodied in such a way that an electromagnet is loaded with a raised strength of current only to change over between the clutch states of the engaged state and the disengaged state. While the clutch remains in these states up to the next shifting process, the supply of current to the solenoid can be greatly reduced or even switched off.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2010Publication date: October 21, 2010Applicant: Licos Trucktec GmbHInventors: Rainer KRAFFT, Sigmund GEIGER
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Publication number: 20100122673Abstract: The invention relates to a drive unit for a fan of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle, having a friction clutch which can be shifted in order to drive the fan via the internal combustion engine. An electric motor is also provided for driving the fan, and a torque-transmission path is formed between the friction clutch and the fan by means of a rotatably mounted part of the electric motor. The invention also relates to an arrangement for driving a fan via an internal combustion engine with a drive unit that includes an electric motor and a friction clutch.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2009Publication date: May 20, 2010Applicant: Licos Trucktec GmbHInventor: Rainer Krafft
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Publication number: 20100065398Abstract: An electromagnetically operated clutch, in particular a friction clutch, for switching on and off units, such as a water pump, in a vehicle, having a predefined electrical system voltage, the clutch including an electromagnet with at least one coil, a rotor, an armature plate, which is attracted to the rotor by the forces of the electromagnet in order to engage the clutch, and control means. The control means, which, in respect of a continuous operating state, are designed for an operating voltage level, which is less than the available electrical system voltage of the vehicle, the control means being suited to switching the electromagnet with a voltage level for engagement of the friction clutch that is greater than operating voltage level and, by timing the supply voltage, to reducing it to the design operating voltage level for an operating phase when the clutch is continuously engaged.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2009Publication date: March 18, 2010Applicant: Licos Trucktec GmbHInventors: Rainer KRAFFT, Johannes Ganahl
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Publication number: 20100065396Abstract: The invention proposes a friction coupling, in particular for use in motor vehicles, e.g. for controlling an air compressor, in which coupling at least two friction surfaces can be brought into frictional connection. According to the invention, two conical friction surface pairs are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2009Publication date: March 18, 2010Applicant: Licos Trucktec GmbHInventors: Andreas WOLF, Rainer Krafft, Edgar Hepp
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Publication number: 20090242350Abstract: An electromagnetically actuatable clutch for a water pump in a cooling water circuit of an internal combustion engine, having a drive wheel rotatably mounted relative to the water pump, and an armature disk, which interacts with a coil. The armature disk and a functional component of an eddy current clutch are connected to the drive wheel so that the drive wheel, armature disk and first functional component run synchronously when they rotate. The armature disk can be moved axially with the first functional component by energizing the coil. A second functional component of the eddy current clutch is provided arranged in a fixed fashion on a shaft coupled to the water pump. A friction mechanism is provided between the first and second functional components to provide a frictional locking engagement between the two functional components that is released by energizing the coil.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2009Publication date: October 1, 2009Applicant: Linnig Trucktec GmbHInventors: Jan Juergensmeyer, Rainer Krafft, Sigmund Geiger
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Patent number: 7562754Abstract: A friction clutch for a driven element is proposed, wherein the driven element can clutch be connected directly to a drive and can be matched to the speed of the drive by means of a friction disk clutch. According to the invention, an eddy-current clutch which can be activated or deactivated is provided by respectively mounting or removing at least one part (1, 12) of the eddy-current clutch by means of a quick-action connection (6, 10). It is also proposed that an eddy-current and/or permanent magnet means (1, 12) is distributed in an azimuthal or circumferential manner.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2005Date of Patent: July 21, 2009Assignee: Linnig Trucktec GmbHInventors: Jan Jürgensmeyer, Rainer Krafft
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Publication number: 20090160589Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus having an electromagnet, comprising a coil and magnetic-field guide means, which at least partially surround the coil. According to the invention, the coil is provided with a sprayed or cast casing, wherein the magnetic-field guide means are formed from a material which comprises ferromagnetic metal particles and plastic material. The invention also relates to a clutch having an apparatus such as this, and to a method for production of an electromagnet.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2008Publication date: June 25, 2009Applicants: Linnig Trucktec GmbHInventor: Rainer KRAFFT
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Patent number: 7540365Abstract: The invention proposes a rotor for a two-stage electromagnetically operated friction disk clutch which comprises two electromagnets and armature means which can be brought into contact with the rotor and are composed of a magnetically permeable material. According to the invention, there is no axial web, or at least no substantial axial web, which projects into the electromagnetic region in a manner arranged in the friction clutch on the rotor, between a radially outer edge region and a radially inner center region on the rotor. The invention also proposes an electromagnetically operated friction disk clutch which has a rotor of this type.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2006Date of Patent: June 2, 2009Assignee: Linnig Trucktec GmbHInventors: Jan Juergensmeyer, Rainer Krafft
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Publication number: 20080017468Abstract: A drive member for a water pump of a cooling water circuit of an internal combustion engine, including a drive wheel, a shaft which is coupled to the water pump, and an electromagnetically actuable frictional shift clutch for the transfer of torque between the drive wheel and the shaft. According to the invention, a transfer of torque to a driven wheel can be shifted by means of the frictional shift clutch.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2007Publication date: January 24, 2008Applicant: Linnig Trucktec GmbHInventors: Rainer KRAFFT, Andreas Wolf
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Publication number: 20070023251Abstract: The invention proposes a rotor for a two-stage electromagnetically operated friction disk clutch which comprises two electromagnets and armature means which can be brought into contact with the rotor and are composed of a magnetically permeable material. According to the invention, there is no axial web, or at least no substantial axial web, which projects into the electromagnetic region in a manner arranged in the friction clutch on the rotor, between a radially outer edge region and a radially inner center region on the rotor. The invention also proposes an electromagnetically operated friction disk clutch which has a rotor of this type.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2006Publication date: February 1, 2007Applicant: Linnig Trucktec GmbHInventors: Jan Juergensmeyer, Rainer Krafft
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Patent number: 7143885Abstract: An electromagnetically operable friction disk clutch having a electromagnet as well as having a rotor and an armature element to which the electromagnet can apply a magnetic field for interaction of the rotor and armature element, the armature element being arranged on a resting means which moves the armature element along a rotation axis of the rotor by magnetic force through a movement distance to a stop position on the rotor, and returns elastically without any magnetic forces to a position in which the armature element and the rotor can move, with respect to one another, without touching. According to the invention the resetting means comprise not only an elastic component but also a plastic component which at least partially compensates for the increase in the original movement distance resulting from wear by plastic deformation of the resetting means.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2004Date of Patent: December 5, 2006Assignee: Linnig Trucktec GmbHInventor: Rainer Krafft
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Publication number: 20060151276Abstract: A friction clutch for a driven element is proposed, wherein the driven element can clutch be connected directly to a drive and can be matched to the speed of the drive by means of a friction disk clutch. According to the invention, an eddy-current clutch which can be activated or deactivated is provided by respectively mounting or removing at least one part (1, 12) of the eddy-current clutch by means of a quick-action connection (6, 10). It is also proposed that an eddy-current and/or permanent magnet means (1, 12) is distributed in an azimuthal or circumferential manner.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2005Publication date: July 13, 2006Applicant: Linnig Trucktec GmbHInventors: Jan Jurgensmeyer, Rainer Krafft