Patents by Inventor Ralf Pfeifer

Ralf Pfeifer 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: 20210389160
    Abstract: A sensor arrangement for controlling a function in a motor vehicle comprises an electric coil for providing a magnetic field; a magnetic field sensor; and a magnetic flux element for conducting the magnetic field between the coil and the magnetic field sensor. The magnetic flux element may be supported such that it can move, and shaped such that the magnetic field in the range of the magnetic field sensor is dependent on a position of the flux element. Furthermore, there may be a processor for determining the position of the flux element based on the magnetic field determined by means of the magnetic field sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Ralf Pfeifer
  • Patent number: 10651847
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a shift device for a control system for a vehicle. The shift device may include at least one optical fiber for conducting a light signal, where the light signal has an input characteristic when entering the shift device, and where the light signal has an output characteristic when exiting the shift device. The shift device may further include a control element, where the control element can be moved between a home position, a first actuation position, and a second actuation position by an actuation force. The control element may have an adjustment device for adjusting the characteristic of the light signal, where the adjustment device is configured to set the output characteristic of the light signal to a first value when the control element is in the home position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignees: ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Lemförder Electronic GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Peukert, Ralf Pfeifer
  • Patent number: 10563756
    Abstract: The current embodiments provide a control lever. The control lever may have a first connection unit with a plurality of inputs and at least one output. The at least one output may be configured for outputting an operation signal that represents the position of the control lever. The number of inputs of the plurality of inputs may exceed the number of outputs of the at least one output. The first connection unit may be configured to couple a first input of the plurality of inputs to the at least one output at a first point in time, and the connection unit may be configured to connect a second input of the plurality of inputs to the at least one output at a second point in time subsequent to the first point in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignees: ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Lemförder Electronic GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Pfeifer, Andreas Peukert
  • Publication number: 20190376815
    Abstract: A gear selection apparatus for a vehicle may include a first contact strip and a second contact strip. The first contact strip may include a plurality of low level contact surfaces and a plurality of high level contact surfaces, where the low level contact surfaces are configured to connect to a low level connection for applying a low voltage level, and where the high level contact surfaces are configured to connect to a high level connection for applying a high voltage level. The second contact strip may include a plurality of signal contact surfaces, where the signal contact surfaces are configured to connect to at least six signal connections for tapping a signal combination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Ralf Pfeifer
  • Patent number: 10281029
    Abstract: In one general aspect, the present disclosure is related to a sensor device for detecting selector lever positions of a selector lever for a motor vehicle. The sensor device may include at least four sensors and a code carrier, where the code carrier is arranged such that it is faced by the at least four sensors. The code carrier may be movable with respect to the at least four sensors. The code carrier may be attached to the selector lever. The code carrier may include several coding areas each with an encoding. The code carrier can thus be referred to as coding carrier. The encoding of the individual coding areas can be read by using the sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Ralf Pfeifer
  • Patent number: 10184559
    Abstract: A device for selecting an operating mode of a transmission of a vehicle is presented. The device has a control panel thereby, having at least one selector switch for selecting an operating mode, and one release switch for enabling a function of the at least one selector switch. The release switch has a touch sensitive button, serving as a first interface to a sensor circuit for enabling the function of the at least one selector switch. The sensor circuit has a second interface on an actuator for a driving function of the vehicle thereby. The sensor circuit can be closed by producing an electrically conductive connection between the first interface and the second interface via a driver region of an interior space of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignees: ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Lemförder Electronic GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Pfeifer, Andreas Peukert
  • Patent number: 9897203
    Abstract: A gear change lever device for a vehicle transmission with a holder, a gear change lever movably arranged on a holder and comprising a gripping surface, wherein the gear change lever can be moved to pre-determined positions (P, R, N, D), a sensor device, by which the current position of the gear change lever can be detected, an evaluation device coupled to the sensor device for the control of transmission, by means of which in cooperation with the sensor device a change in the gear change lever position can be recognized, and at least one touch sensor coupled to the evaluation device and arranged on the gear change lever in the area of the grip surface, by means of which a human touch of the grip surface can be detected and information about the touch state of the gripping surface can be sent to evaluation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventor: Ralf Pfeifer
  • Publication number: 20180038477
    Abstract: In one general aspect, the present disclosure is related to a sensor device for detecting selector lever positions of a selector lever for a motor vehicle. The sensor device may include at least four sensors and a code carrier, where the code carrier is arranged such that it is faced by the at least four sensors. The code carrier may be movable with respect to the at least four sensors. The code carrier may be attached to the selector lever. The code carrier may include several coding areas each with an encoding. The code carrier can thus be referred to as coding carrier. The encoding of the individual coding areas can be read by using the sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Ralf Pfeifer
  • Publication number: 20170321801
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a shift device for a control system for a vehicle. The shift device may include at least one optical fiber for conducting a light signal, where the light signal has an input characteristic when entering the shift device, and where the light signal has an output characteristic when exiting the shift device. The shift device may further include a control element, where the control element can be moved between a home position, a first actuation position, and a second actuation position by an actuation force. The control element may have an adjustment device for adjusting the characteristic of the light signal, where the adjustment device is configured to set the output characteristic of the light signal to a first value when the control element is in the home position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Applicants: ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Lemförder Electronic GmbH
    Inventors: Andreas Peukert, Ralf Pfeifer
  • Patent number: 9644732
    Abstract: A sensor device having at least one sensor element, such as a Hall sensor element, and at least one magnet element that can move in relation to the sensor element. The sensor element has a number of differently magnetized regions. The sensor element is configured to issue a sensor signal, which represents a condition defined by a magnetization of a region of the magnet element located in the measurement range of the sensor element. The sensor element determines the condition by means of one of at least three pre-defined sensor signal values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Ralf Pfeifer, Andreas Peukert
  • Publication number: 20160305539
    Abstract: The current embodiments provide a control lever. The control lever may have a first connection unit with a plurality of inputs and at least one output. The at least one output may be configured for outputting an operation signal that represents the position of the control lever. The number of inputs of the plurality of inputs may exceed the number of outputs of the at least one output. The first connection unit may be configured to couple a first input of the plurality of inputs to the at least one output at a first point in time, and the connection unit may be configured to connect a second input of the plurality of inputs to the at least one output at a second point in time subsequent to the first point in time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Applicants: ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Lemförder Electronic GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Pfeifer, Andreas Peukert
  • Publication number: 20160252177
    Abstract: A device for selecting an operating mode of a transmission of a vehicle is presented. The device has a control panel thereby, having at least one selector switch for selecting an operating mode, and one release switch for enabling a function of the at least one selector switch. The release switch has a touch sensitive button, serving as a first interface to a sensor circuit for enabling the function of the at least one selector switch. The sensor circuit has a second interface on an actuator for a driving function of the vehicle thereby. The sensor circuit can be closed by producing an electrically conductive connection between the first interface and the second interface via a driver region of an interior space of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Applicants: ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Lemförder Electronic GMBH
    Inventors: Ralf PFEIFER, Andreas PEUKERT
  • Publication number: 20160151934
    Abstract: A method to control a power tool including the method steps: specifying the rotational speed of the drive at a first value, measuring a first amplitude of a signal, filtering the signal within a frequency range, measuring a second amplitude of the filtered signal, reducing the rotational speed of the drive to a second value if the first amplitude exceeds a first quantity and if the second amplitude exceeds a second quantity, and incrementally increasing the rotational speed of the drive to the first value, whereby each incremental increase of the rotational speed only takes place once the first amplitude remains below the first quantity for a time interval, and the second amplitude remains below the second quantity. A power tool that uses this method, includes: a drive, an acceleration sensor a filter, and a control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Ralf Pfeifer, Tobias Drexi
  • Publication number: 20160144840
    Abstract: A method for generating an emergency braking signal for a vehicle is proposed. The vehicle has a main brake system and a drive system thereby. The method is characterized by a step for detecting a vehicle emergency, representing a reduced or impaired braking effect of the main brake system, using at least one sensor signal that has been read in, and a step for generating the emergency braking signal as a function of the detected vehicle emergency. The main brake system, the drive system, a supplementary brake system and/or at least one further on board installation of the vehicle can be activated by means of the emergency braking signal thereby, in order to cause or support an emergency braking procedure of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2014
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Ralf PFEIFER
  • Publication number: 20150345625
    Abstract: A gear change lever device for a vehicle transmission with a holder, a gear change lever movably arranged on a holder and comprising a gripping surface, wherein the gear change lever can be moved to pre-determined positions (P, R, N, D), a sensor device, by which the current position of the gear change lever can be detected, an evaluation device coupled to the sensor device for the control of transmission, by means of which in cooperation with the sensor device a change in the gear change lever position can be recognized, and at least one touch sensor coupled to the evaluation device and arranged on the gear change lever in the area of the grip surface, by means of which a human touch of the grip surface can be detected and information about the touch state of the gripping surface can be sent to evaluation device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventor: Ralf PFEIFER
  • Publication number: 20140345408
    Abstract: A sensor device having at least one sensor element, such as a Hall sensor element, and at least one magnet element that can move in relation to the sensor element. The sensor element has a number of differently magnetized regions. The sensor element is configured to issue a sensor signal, which represents a condition defined by a magnetization of a region of the magnet element located in the measurement range of the sensor element. The sensor element determines the condition by means of one of at least three pre-defined sensor signal values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2012
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Ralf Pfeifer, Andreas Peukert
  • Publication number: 20140331804
    Abstract: This invention relates to a system for selecting switching steps of a shift-by-wire gear change drive, which features a key arrangement with at least two keys and means for generating electrical signals for transmission to the shift-by-wire gear change drive. This invention specifies an activation control system with which can prevent errors and can lift out a key from a lowered position. The activation control system also features a pressure pad located below the keys.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Ralf Pfeifer, Andreas Giefer
  • Patent number: 8128526
    Abstract: The invention relates to a limited slip differential, more particularly for being used in the driveline of a motor vehicle. The limited slip differential 2 comprises a carrier element 3 which is rotatingly drivable around an axis of rotation A; a plurality of planetary gears 4 which rotate around the axis of rotation A together with the carrier element 3; a hollow gear 5 which is supported so as to be rotatable around the axis of rotation A and which engages at least some of the planetary gears 4; an adapter gear 7 which engages either the hollow gear 5 or the sun gear 6 via a toothed coupling 12 for the purpose of transmitting torque, and wherein the toothed coupling 12 comprises a first face toothing 14 at an end face of the adapter gear 7 and a second face toothing 13 at an end face of the gear engaging the adapter gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: GKN Driveline International GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Engelmann, Ralf Pfeifer
  • Publication number: 20090069139
    Abstract: The invention relates to a limited slip differential, more particularly for being used in the driveline of a motor vehicle. The limited slip differential 2 comprises a carrier element 3 which is rotatingly drivable around an axis of rotation A; a plurality of planetary gears 4 which rotate around the axis of rotation A together with the carrier element 3; a hollow gear 5 which is supported so as to be rotatable around the axis of rotation A and which engages at least some of the planetary gears 4; an adapter gear 7 which engages either the hollow gear 5 or the sun gear 6 via a toothed coupling 12 for the purpose of transmitting torque, and wherein the toothed coupling 12 comprises a first face toothing 14 at an end face of the adapter gear 7 and a second face toothing 13 at an end face of the gear engaging the adapter gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Inventors: Michael Engelmann, Ralf Pfeifer