Patents by Inventor Ralf Vorndran
Ralf Vorndran 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: 6997834Abstract: A device, in a continuously variable belt transmission system, for guiding a conical pulley (3) of a variator on a variator shaft (1). The moveable conical pulley (3) is fitted onto two bearing sections (4, 5) of the variation shaft (1). At least one cylindrical pin (6), which is fitted into an axial guide grove (7) in the variator shaft (1) and an axial guide groove (8) of the movable conical pulley (3), is provided to transfer torque between the movable conical pulley (3) and the variator shaft (1).Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2002Date of Patent: February 14, 2006Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Ralf Vorndran, Thomas Fichtinger, Andreas Salm
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Method for manually stipulating the transmission ratio of a continuously variable transmission (CVT)
Patent number: 6671602Abstract: The invention relates to a method for manually stipulating the transmission ratio of a continuously variable transmission (CVT) for a motor vehicle. The CVT comprises a control device, a shifting or selecting device, a starting element and a variator for adjusting the transmission ratio which is driven, in particular, by an internal combustion engine. The control device processes input signals derived from a driver-vehicle system within the framework of an operational strategy for stipulating the transmission ratio, the rotational speed of the drive motor or a variator input rotational speed. In a first automatic operation mode, the operational strategy automatically selects the transmission multiplication. In a second manual operational mode, the driver can directly intervene, via the shifting or selecting device, in the selection of the transmission multiplication.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2002Date of Patent: December 30, 2003Assignee: ZF Batavia L.L.C.Inventors: Patrick Speicher, Ralf Vorndran, Anton Welte -
Patent number: 6554737Abstract: Within the scope of the method for controlling the engine rotational speed via the torque converter lock-up clutch during the starting and stopping phases of a motor vehicle having a continuously variable transmission combined with other elements of the drive train, the closing and opening of the torque converter lock-up clutch are used as implicit function so as to ensure optimum comfort via the most asymptotic adjustment possible of the rotational speeds gradients of engine and turbine during starting and by a soft, defined separation of the speed characteristic curves of the engine and turbine during stopping. When the vehicle is standing still the forward clutch is moved into standstill disengaged mode so that the torque converter lock-up clutch can be fully closed.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2001Date of Patent: April 29, 2003Assignee: ZF Batavia L.L.C.Inventors: Ralf Vorndran, Wolfgang Danz, Andreas Piepenbrink, Andreas Schwenger
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Patent number: 6542803Abstract: In a method for controlling the multiplication for a continuously variable transmission with electrohydraulic control by means of a control loop having a linear PID controller with the specified multiplication of the variator iv_soll as command variable, the actual multiplication iv as regulating variable and the multiplication changing speed as correcting variable, the correcting variable delivered by the PID controller is limited to limiting values determined by the design for an upshift and downshift wherein said limiting values are calculated form the limits determined by construction and from the operating-point dependent limits determined by volume flow and the intersection of both admissible intervals determined by construction and by volume flow is defined as admissible multiplication changing speed range.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2001Date of Patent: April 1, 2003Assignee: ZF Batavia L.L.C.Inventors: Ralf Vorndran, Wolfgang Danz, Friedrich Reiter, Andreas Piepenbrink, Andreas Schwenger
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Patent number: 6527668Abstract: Proposed is a hydraulic scheme for a stepless automatic transmission of a motor vehicle. The system has a variator which is controlled by a hydraulic regulating apparatus, and which possesses a cooler (11) placed in an oil lubricating/cooling circulation from which a line (14) leads from cooler (11) to an oil sump (1). An orifice (13) is located after the cooler (11) in the line (14), in the direction of oil flow, the oil flow through the orifice (13) is controllable as a function of the speed of rotation of the drive motor of the vehicle and/or the speed of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2001Date of Patent: March 4, 2003Assignee: ZF Batavia LLCInventor: Ralf Vorndran
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Patent number: 6524210Abstract: An automatic transmission having at the input a starting element (4), a reversing set (46), a first electronic control unit (65) and a cone pulley (29) fixedly supported on one primary shaft (18) and axially thereto a hydraulically adjustable cone pulley (30), both pulleys forming a primary variator part (19). In addition there is a cone pulley (31) fixedly supported on a secondary shaft (21) and axially thereto a hydraulically adjustable cone pulley (32) together forming a secondary variator part (20) wherein a belt-type organ (37) between the cone pulleys (29, 30, 31,32) drivingly connects the primary variator part (19) with the secondary variator part (20).Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2000Date of Patent: February 25, 2003Assignee: ZF Batavia, L.L.C.Inventor: Ralf Vorndran
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Publication number: 20030013566Abstract: The invention concerns a device in a continuously variable belt transmission system for guiding a conical pulley (3) of a variator on a variator shaft (1). The movable conical pulley (3) is fitted onto two bearing sections (4, 5) of the variation shaft (1). To transfer torque between the movable conical pulley (3) and the variator shaft (1), at least one cylindrical pin (6) is provided, which is fitted into an axial guide groove (7) in the variator shaft (1) and an axial guide groove (8) of the movable conical pulley (3).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2002Publication date: January 16, 2003Inventors: Ralf Vorndran, Thomas Fichtinger, Andreas Salm
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Patent number: 6434464Abstract: The invention concerns a process for evaluating a driving dynamic request of a driver for the driving strategy of one of an automatic or automated transmission of a motor vehicle. It is proposed to calculate an accelerator pedal stroke, from the accelerator pedal actuation, which is supplied to the driving strategy as an input parameter to the driving strategy equivalent to the driving dynamic request. To this end, a rough value of the accelerator pedal stroke is calculated, especially by subtraction of the accelerator pedal position at beginning of the accelerator pedal movement from the accelerator pedal position, from accelerator pedal values which are in fixed event-dependent ratio to each other. The accelerator pedal stroke results from an event-dependent filtering of the rough value of the accelerator pedal stroke during which a filtering function starts at the end of the accelerator pedal movement, especially when the accelerator pedal position is constant over a presettable time.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2001Date of Patent: August 13, 2002Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Patrick Speicher, Ralf Vorndran
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Patent number: 6424901Abstract: Within the scope of the method for including the temperature in the calculation of the definite, operating-point dependent maximum and minimum adjustment speeds in a continuously variable belt-drive transmission, the actual limiting values for the maximum possible adjustment gradient are continuously calculated in every operating state by a physical-mathematical pattern wherein the hydraulic routes of the variator, the clutches integrated in the transmission and the lubrication are modeled as laminar inserts and the route of the control unit leakage as coupled laminar and turbulent hydraulic transmission elements.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2000Date of Patent: July 23, 2002Assignee: ZF Batavia L.L.C.Inventors: Ralf Vorndran, Wolfgang Danz, Friedrich Reiter, Andreas Piepenbrink, Andreas Schwenger
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Publication number: 20020049525Abstract: The invention concerns a process for evaluating a driving dynamic request of a driver for the driving strategy of one of an automatic or automated transmission of a motor vehicle. It is proposed to calculate an accelerator pedal stroke, from the accelerator pedal actuation, which is supplied to the driving strategy as an input parameter to the driving strategy equivalent to the driving dynamic request. To this end, a rough value of the accelerator pedal stroke is calculated, especially by subtraction of the accelerator pedal position at beginning of the accelerator pedal movement from the accelerator pedal position, from accelerator pedal values which are in fixed event-dependent ratio to each other. The accelerator pedal stroke results from an event-dependent filtering of the rough value of the accelerator pedal stroke during which a filtering function starts at the end of the accelerator pedal movement, especially when the accelerator pedal position is constant over a presettable time.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2001Publication date: April 25, 2002Inventors: Patrick Speicher, Ralf Vorndran
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Publication number: 20020004436Abstract: Proposed is a hydraulic scheme for a stepless automatic transmission of a motor vehicle. The system has a variator which is controlled by a hydraulic regulating apparatus, and which possesses a cooler (11) placed in an oil lubricating/cooling circulation from which a line (14) leads from cooler (11) to an oil sump (1). An orifice (13) is located after the cooler (11) in the line (14), in the direction of oil flow, the oil flow through the orifice (13) is controllable as a function of the speed of rotation of the drive motor of the vehicle and/or the speed of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2001Publication date: January 10, 2002Inventor: Ralf Vorndran
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Patent number: 6216075Abstract: In the process according to the invention for predetermining the ratio of a continuously variable transmission (5), a dynamic driving range is generated. The actual, minimum and maximum acceleration (a_akt, a_min, a_max) is calculated. Further detected is the driver's wish to accelerate or to decelerate (a_fwu) and an acceleration (a_vorg) is determined. Also calculated is a change of ratio per time unit of the continuously variable transmission (iV_pkt), which is guided by the engine speed of rotation during adjustment of the continuously variable transmission (5).Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 1999Date of Patent: April 10, 2001Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Patrick Speicher, Ralf Vorndran, Wolfgang Danz, Udo Gillich
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Patent number: 6173227Abstract: The invention relates to a method of adjusting the transmission ratio of a continuously variable gear. The position of a current operating point (B_akt) in a predetermined driving range is constantly adjusted in accordance with the driving situation. The position of the operating point is also determined by range boundaries (UG, OG) which can be varied in accordance with the driving resistance and the driver's manner of driving. The method is characterized in that it simplifies development and application.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 1998Date of Patent: January 9, 2001Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Patrick Speicher, Udo Gillich, Wolfgang Danz, Ralf Vorndran
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Patent number: 6135916Abstract: A pressure controlling system for a CVT of the belt with bevelled pulley type is proposed in which, on detection of a shift from the neutral or park position, the pressure in the primary and secondary pulleys is raised to a first level. This ensures that the variator (1) can transmit the full torque on initiation of a drive operation.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 1998Date of Patent: October 24, 2000Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafeb AGInventors: Ralf Vorndran, Rolf Karrer
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Patent number: 6066069Abstract: A control system for a continuously variable transmission (17), especially for control of a lock-up clutch (10) of a torque converter (2). The lock-up clutch (10) is controlled according to a strategy whereby the torque converter (2) is considered as being serially mounted with the continuously variable transmission (17). Engagement and disengagement of the lock-up clutch (10) is exclusively a function of the control of the theoretical engine speed.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 1999Date of Patent: May 23, 2000Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventor: Ralf Vorndran
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Patent number: 5961408Abstract: The proposal is for a device for controlling a CVT (3) driven by a drive unit (1) in which an emergency running unit is activated on the breakdown of the electronic control device (15). It sets a constant compression or power ratio between the primary (S1) and secondary (S2) pulleys.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 1997Date of Patent: October 5, 1999Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Hubert Konig, Hans Peter Stoll, Ralf Vorndran
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Patent number: 5795261Abstract: A method of controlling an electronically controlled, continuously variable transmission (3), according to which an electronic control device (15) determines a parameter K1 (24) on the basis of input variables, for example driving activity and topography. The parameter K1 (24) brings about a variation of an operating point.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 1997Date of Patent: August 18, 1998Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Patrick Speicher, Ralf Vorndran