Patents by Inventor Ralf Hintzen

Ralf Hintzen 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: 20170297396
    Abstract: A wheel suspension for a motor vehicle including a wheel carrier supporting a wheel. The wheel carrier connected via at least one upper camber link, a lower control arm, and a lateral toe link to the vehicle body or subframe. A stabilizer rod connects to the wheel carrier. The wheel suspension including a damper unit and a spring unit wherein the stabilizer rod and the damper unit connect to the wheel carrier at a common connecting point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Drotar, Ralf Hintzen, Daniel Mainz, Paul Zandbergen, Friedrich Peter Wolf-Monheim
  • Publication number: 20170120708
    Abstract: A spring system for a motor vehicle including a spring extending along an extension axis (A) and supported on a spring seat by a resilient spring support. The spring seat including a rigid support structure positioned radially inside the spring. The spring support having a side portion, positioned between the support structure and the spring, and a front portion, connected to the side portion, located axially in front of the spring. The spring exerts a force against the side portion and the side portion exerts a force against the support structure. The spring system provides vibration damping and spring stabilization relative to lateral forces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Publication date: May 4, 2017
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Mainz, Friedrich Peter Wolf-Monheim, Nicole Zandbergen, Paul Zandbergen, Ralf Hintzen, Timothy Drotar
  • Publication number: 20170050680
    Abstract: A mount located in a wheel housing of a motor vehicle, the mount receiving an upper end of a shock absorber. The mount has a plurality of upper receiving points each mounting point for allowing a different shock absorber orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Ralf Hintzen, Friedrich Peter Wolf-Monheim, Daniel Mainz, Timothy Drotar, Paul Zandbergen, Nicole Zandbergen
  • Publication number: 20160243918
    Abstract: A rear suspension system for a laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle may include first and second trailing arms. The rear suspension system may further include first and second balancer systems acting between the first and second trailing arms. The first balancer system may create a torque to influence a leaning angle of the vehicle when the suspension system is in use. The second balancer system may suppress a resonant vertical motion of the vehicle when the suspension system is in use.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Robert SPAHL, Marc SIMON, Edmund HALFMANN, Thomas GERHARDS, Rainer SOUSCHEK, Ralf HINTZEN, Daniel MAINZ, Martin SAEGER
  • Publication number: 20160244094
    Abstract: A suspension system for a laterally tiltable, multitrack vehicle may include a balancer system extending between first and second trailing arms. The suspension system may further include a rotary device acting between the trailing arms. One of the balancer system and the rotary device may be configured to provide a torque to influence a leaning angle of the vehicle and the other of the balancer system and the rotary device may be configured to suppress resonant vertical motion of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Robert SPAHL, Marc SIMON, Edmund HALFMANN, Thomas GERHARDS, Rainer SOUSCHEK, Ralf HINTZEN, Daniel MAINZ, Martin SAEGER
  • Patent number: 9340082
    Abstract: A wheel suspension for a vehicle may include a wheel carrier and a torsionally stiff transverse control arm. The control arm may include a first front joint element and a first rear joint element pivotably mounted to the wheel carrier. The first front joint element may include a moveable bearing configured to transmit forces only in a direction that is parallel to a vertical axis of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ralf Hintzen, Friedrich Peter Wolf-Monheim
  • Patent number: 9221314
    Abstract: A wheel suspension for a wheel of a motor vehicle includes a wheel guide arm to which a wheel of the motor vehicle may be rotatably mounted remotely from the vehicle structure of the motor vehicle. The wheel guide arm may be attached via a point of attachment to an articulation member. The articulation member may be connected to the vehicle structure via at least one connecting member and be movably mounted relative to the vehicle structure. The wheel guide arm may be attached at the point of attachment to the articulation member via a changeable rotary joint. The rotary joint may be rotatable in a first switch position and fixed in terms of rotation in a second switch position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ralf Hintzen, Thomas Gerhards
  • Publication number: 20150306932
    Abstract: A wheel suspension for a vehicle may include a wheel carrier and a torsionally stiff transverse control arm. The control arm may include a first front joint element and a first rear joint element pivotably mounted to the wheel carrier. The first front joint element may include a moveable bearing configured to transmit forces only in a direction that is parallel to a vertical axis of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ralf HINTZEN, Friedrich Peter WOLF-MONHEIM
  • Publication number: 20150202937
    Abstract: A wheel suspension for a wheel of a motor vehicle includes a wheel guide arm to which a wheel of the motor vehicle may be rotatably mounted remotely from the vehicle structure of the motor vehicle. The wheel guide arm may be attached via a point of attachment to an articulation member. The articulation member may be connected to the vehicle structure via at least one connecting member and be movably mounted relative to the vehicle structure. The wheel guide arm may be attached at the point of attachment to the articulation member via a changeable rotary joint. The rotary joint may be rotatable in a first switch position and fixed in terms of rotation in a second switch position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Ralf HINTZEN, Thomas GERHARDS
  • Patent number: 8534678
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wheel suspension for a motor vehicle, which has a tie rod (1) formed from two rod parts (2, 3). In order to achieve speed-dependent adaptation of the compliance of the tie rod, the proposal is that the first rod part (2) have a compensating space (4) filled with a compensating medium, in which the other, second rod part (3) is arranged by means of the engagement end (7) thereof, the compensating space (4) being connected to a, preferably pressurized, medium reservoir (18) via a switching element (17) arranged at a connecting element (19).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Ralf Hintzen
  • Patent number: 8500148
    Abstract: A device for reducing roll in motor vehicles. The device includes a first and second traction mechanism and at least a first and second deflecting and rebounding suspension part connected to different vehicle sides of a vehicle body, the first and second traction mechanisms connected at one end to the first suspension part at a first connecting point and at the other end to the second suspension part at a second connecting point. Furthermore, the first traction mechanism is guided deflectably between the first and second connecting points by a first guide means mounted on the vehicle body above the first connecting point and below the second connecting point, and the second traction mechanism is guided deflectably between the first and second connecting points by a second guide means mounted on the vehicle body below the first connecting point and above the second connecting point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Gerhards, Ralf Hintzen
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20120104716
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wheel suspension for a motor vehicle, which has a tie rod (1) formed from two rod parts (2, 3). In order to achieve speed-dependent adaptation of the compliance of the tie rod, the proposal is that the first rod part (2) have a compensating space (4) filled with a compensating medium, in which the other, second rod part (3) is arranged by means of the engagement end (7) thereof, the compensating space (4) being connected to a, preferably pressurized, medium reservoir (18) via a switching element (17) arranged at a connecting element (19).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2011
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Inventor: Ralf Hintzen
  • Publication number: 20120018972
    Abstract: A device for reducing roll in motor vehicles. The device includes a first and second traction mechanism and at least a first and second deflecting and rebounding suspension part connected to different vehicle sides of a vehicle body, the first and second traction mechanisms connected at one end to the first suspension part at a first connecting point and at the other end to the second suspension part at a second connecting point. Furthermore, the first traction mechanism is guided deflectably between the first and second connecting points by a first guide means mounted on the vehicle body above the first connecting point and below the second connecting point, and the second traction mechanism is guided deflectably between the first and second connecting points by a second guide means mounted on the vehicle body below the first connecting point and above the second connecting point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Gerhards, Ralf Hintzen