Patents by Inventor Ralf Leiter

Ralf Leiter 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: 7152935
    Abstract: The invention provides a solution, which makes it possible to determine brake surface temperatures for a vehicle brake system in dependence upon decelerations or accelerations acting on a vehicle in an activated state of the vehicle brake system and to control the vehicle braking system in dependence upon the brake surface temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Lucas Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Kinder, Ralf Leiter, Gregor Poertzgen
  • Publication number: 20060267402
    Abstract: A process for operating the brake arrangement of a vehicle is presented, which comprises an electrically controllable service brake system, which is set to generate brake forces independently of driver actuation, and which comprises an electrically controllable parking brake system, which is set to generate brake forces and maintain these forces. So that the parking brake system or its electromechanical actuating unit only needs to cope with relatively small load situations, it is proposed that, when, for certain operating conditions, the parking brake system has to maintain brake forces which are greater than the brake forces it is able to generate itself, the service brake system generates the additionally required brake forces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Inventors: Ralf Leiter, Gregor Poertzgen
  • Publication number: 20060261764
    Abstract: A method for controlling an electrically actuable parking brake is described. In this method the cutoff current of the electric motor is varied to compensate for example for changes in the application force associated with aging or wear or for changes in the application force due to changes in the resistance and/or temperature of an electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Inventors: Ralf Erben, Ralf Kinder, Ralf Leiter, Gregor Poertzgen
  • Patent number: 7104364
    Abstract: An electrically driven vehicle brake comprises a brake piston, which acts on at least one friction lining and can be displaced out of an initial position into an actuation position, in which the brake piston abuts the friction lining against a rotating member of the vehicle brake which is to be connected, fixed against rotation, to a wheel of the motor vehicle, and a transmission unit, driven by an electric motor and acting on the brake piston to actuate the brake piston, wherein the electric motor is to be triggered by an electronic control unit, which is also set up to detect performance parameters of the vehicle, the electric motor and/or the vehicle brake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Lucas Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Gregor Godlewsky, Thomas Maur, Michael Keller, Ralf Leiter, Ralf Kinder, Gregor Poertzgen
  • Publication number: 20060131957
    Abstract: The present invention provides driveaway assistance for a motor vehicle having braking equipment which, in the standstill condition of the motor vehicle, automatically or under the control of a vehicle driver summons up braking forces needed for the standstill condition. To assist start-up (driveaway) of the motor vehicle through a reduction of the braking forces generated in the standstill condition, a driveaway request or a vehicle driver is determined when defined conditions, which are to be met for driveaway of the motor vehicle, exist in the standstill condition. Once a driveaway request has been recognized, the operating state of the motor vehicle is checked until an operating condition required for driveaway exists. Once such an operating condition is reached, the braking equipment of the motor vehicle is controlled in such a way that its braking forces generated in the standstill condition are reduced to allow driveaway of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Publication date: June 22, 2006
    Inventors: Ralf Kinder, Gerhard Klapper, Reza Shokoufandeh, Franz-Josef Endres, Ralf Leiter, Lorenz Maack, Andreas Sons, Gregor Poertzgen
  • Publication number: 20060054431
    Abstract: In a vehicle brake having a brake piston accommodated in a housing, a blocking device for securing the brake piston inside the housing and an actuating device for controlling the blocking device, it is provided that the brake piston together with the housing delimits a fluid chamber, which is chargeable with hydraulic fluid, so that the brake piston for actuating the vehicle brake is displaceable hydraulically inside the housing along a piston longitudinal axis, that moreover the blocking device comprises a ramp arrangement and a blocking element that is displaceable relative to the housing, and that by means of the actuating device the blocking element in interaction with the ramp arrangement for securing the brake piston inside the housing is displaceable and connectable to the brake piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2005
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Inventors: Leo Gilles, Marcus Janson, Ralf Leiter, Gregor Poertzgen, Ralf Erben, Karl-Heinz Schaust, Manfred Meyer
  • Patent number: 6994407
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for controlling braking equipment of a motor vehicle. Here, an operating state of a motor vehicle is determined, in which the motor vehicle is to be brought from a state, in which its speed is not zero, into a state, in which the vehicle no longer moves. If such a transition from a traveling state into a state of standstill is determined, braking equipment of the motor vehicle is controlled such that braking forces are produced, which are capable of bringing the motor vehicle into the state of standstill and/or assisting a vehicle driver in doing this. It is also possible to produce braking forces in the state of standstill, which are capable of holding the motor vehicle in the state of standstill. The present invention additionally enables to assist a vehicle driver when starting a motor vehicle. In this case, an operating state of the motor vehicle is detected in which the motor vehicle is to be brought from a state of standstill into a traveling state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Lucas Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Kinder, Gerhard Klapper, Reza Shokoufandeh, Franz-Josef Endres, Ralf Leiter, Lorenz Maack, Andreas Söns
  • Publication number: 20050252736
    Abstract: The invention relates to a parking brake device comprising a spring element and an actuating element that acts upon the spring element, wherein by applying an actuating force to the actuating element the parking brake device is transferrable between a brake-inactive release position and a brake-active parking position. In the invention, it is provided that the spring element is biased in the release position and that the spring element upon transfer from the release position to the parking position yields only upon attainment of an actuating-force threshold value that is determined by the bias.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2005
    Publication date: November 17, 2005
    Inventors: Ralf Leiter, Ralf Erben, Gregor Poertzgen
  • Publication number: 20050212355
    Abstract: An electrically driven vehicle brake comprises a brake piston, which acts on at least one friction lining and can be displaced out of an initial position into an actuation position, in which the brake piston abuts the friction lining against a rotating member of the vehicle brake which is to be connected, fixed against rotation, to a wheel of the motor vehicle, and a transmission unit, driven by an electric motor and acting on the brake piston to actuate the brake piston, wherein the electric motor is to be triggered by an electronic control unit, which is also set up to detect performance parameters of the vehicle, the electric motor and/or the vehicle brake.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Publication date: September 29, 2005
    Inventors: Gregor Godlewsky, Thomas Maur, Michael Keller, Ralf Leiter, Ralf Kinder, Gregor Poertzgen
  • Publication number: 20050035653
    Abstract: An electrically driven vehicle brake comprises a brake piston, which acts on at least one friction lining and can be displaced out of an initial position into an actuation position, in which the brake piston abuts the friction lining against a rotating member of the vehicle brake which is to be connected, fixed against rotation, to a wheel of the motor vehicle, and a transmission unit, driven by an electric motor and acting on the brake piston to actuate the brake piston, wherein the electric motor is to be triggered by an electronic control unit, which is also set up to detect performance parameters of the vehicle, the electric motor and/or the vehicle brake.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Publication date: February 17, 2005
    Inventors: Gregor Godlewsky, Thomas Maur, Michael Keller, Ralf Leiter, Ralf Kinder, Gregor Poertzgen
  • Publication number: 20040212251
    Abstract: The invention provides a solution, which makes it possible to determine brake surface temperatures for a vehicle brake system in dependence upon decelerations or accelerations acting on a vehicle in an activated state of the vehicle brake system and to control the vehicle braking system in dependence upon the brake surface temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2004
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventors: Ralf Kinder, Ralf Leiter, Gregor Poertzgen
  • Publication number: 20030227215
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for controlling braking equipment of a motor vehicle. Here, an operating state of a motor vehicle is determined, in which the motor vehicle is to be brought from a state, in which its speed is not zero, into a state, in which the vehicle no longer moves. If such a transition from a traveling state into a state of standstill is determined, braking equipment of the motor vehicle is controlled such that braking forces are produced, which are capable of bringing the motor vehicle into the state of standstill and/or assisting a vehicle driver in doing this. It is also possible to produce braking forces in the state of standstill, which are capable of holding the motor vehicle in the state of standstill. The present invention additionally enables to assist a vehicle driver when starting a motor vehicle. In this case, an operating state of the motor vehicle is detected in which the motor vehicle is to be brought from a state of standstill into a traveling state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Publication date: December 11, 2003
    Inventors: Ralf Kinder, Gerhard Klapper, Reza Shokoufandeh, Franz-Josef Endres, Ralf Leiter, Lorenz Maack, Andreas Sons
  • Publication number: 20030214185
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and a system for controlling a braking equipment of a motor vehicle in order to activate the braking equipment at a standstill of the motor vehicle such that braking forces are built up which are necessary to keep the motor vehicle in a state of standstill. To this end it is established on the basis of vehicle movements whether the vehicle is at a standstill. If vehicle movements are detected that cannot occur during driving modes of the motor vehicle, the motor vehicle is in a state of standstill. Subsequently, the braking equipment, and in particular a holding brake mechanism included in the braking equipment, are activated. In order to provide braking forces keeping the motor vehicle at a standstill also when it is on a slope, the braking equipment, and in particular the holding brake mechanism, are controlled in response of the vehicle inclination present in the state of standstill.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Inventors: Ralf Kinder, Gerhard Klapper, Reza Shokoufandeh, Franz-Josef Endres, Ralf Leiter, Lorenz Maack, Andreas Sons
  • Publication number: 20030214186
    Abstract: The present invention provides start-up assistance for a motor vehicle having braking equipment which, in the stationary state of the mo-or vehicle, automatically or under the control of a vehicle driver summons up braking forces needed for the stationary state. To assist start-up of the motor vehicle through a reduction of the braking forces generated in the stationary state, a start-up request of a vehicle driver is determined when defined conditions, which are to be met for start-up of the motor vehicle, exist in the stationary state. Once a start-up request has been recognized, the operating state of the motor vehicle is checked until an operating state required for start-up exists. Once such an operating state is reached, the braking equipment of the motor vehicle is controlled in such a way that its braking forces generated in the stationary state are reduced to allow start-up of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Inventors: Ralf Kinder, Gerhard Klapper, Reza Shokoufandeh, Franz-Josef Endres, Ralf Leiter, Lorenz Maack, Andreas Sons