Patents by Inventor Reinhard Berger
Reinhard Berger 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: 6647333Abstract: A method of regulating the position of a clutch actuator in a vehicle employs the concept of adapting the servo-loop parameters of a position controller of the clutch to different operating conditions of the vehicle, as well as the concept of applying and continuously adapting a bias current of the actuator motor in order to avoid or minimize the incidence of a hunting or after-regulation behavior of the control loop and to thereby minimize the energy consumption of the actuator motor.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2001Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: Thomas Jäger, Reinhard Berger, Martin Zimmermann, Georg Schneider, Mario Jung, Jürgen Gerhart, Alexander Renfer
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Patent number: 6634247Abstract: A double clutch transmission in connection with an electric unit, as well as a method for operating the transmission.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2001Date of Patent: October 21, 2003Assignee: LuK Lamellen Und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: Thomas Pels, Dierk Reitz, Reinhard Berger, Wolfgang Reik, Robert Fischer
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Patent number: 6591705Abstract: A shiftable gear transmission has a plurality of gear pairs with free gears that can be engaged to one of the shafts by means of shift clutches and fixed gears that are permanently locked to one of the shafts. A start-up clutch arranged at the input side of the transmission couples and uncouples the torque flow. At least one of the shift clutches is a power-shift clutch with the ability to transmit a greater amount of torque than the other shift clutches. The start-up clutch and the power-shift clutch are controlled by at least one actuator unit.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2000Date of Patent: July 15, 2003Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: Wolfgang Reik, Reinhard Berger, Gunter Hirt, Martin Brandt
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Publication number: 20030121343Abstract: An aim of the invention is to provide a double clutch transmission enabling shift actuation in multiple gear trains with a single actuator device. The time required for a gear ratio change should also be reduced, hereby improving comfort and operability. To this end, the invention provides that a gear ratio can be shifted with an actuating element through a shifting element and that in the shifted state of this gear ratio, the same actuating element can actuate at least one other shifting element in order to select other gear ratios. A neutral channel wide enough to allow the selection movement of an actuation element is advantageously retained in the shifted state of one or more gear ratios. A shifting element may follow an actuating element with a path hysteresis that is identical to or greater than the path of the shifting element between the neutral position and a final gear position.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2002Publication date: July 3, 2003Applicant: LUK LAMELLEN UND KUPPLUNGSBAU BETEILIGUNGS KGInventors: Reinhard Berger, Gunter Hirt
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Publication number: 20030114975Abstract: Specific shift positions of an electrically actuated vehicle transmission, such as first to fifth, neutral and reverse gears, are detected by monitoring one or more characteristic electrical variables, e.g., actuator currents, during a shift movement of the transmission and by correlating increased or decreased levels of current with the arrival at or passage through the specific shift positions.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 3, 2003Publication date: June 19, 2003Applicant: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: Reinhard Berger, Martin Vornehm, Stefan Winkelmann, Marc Hauptmann, Klaus Henneberger, Klaus Kupper
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Publication number: 20030106767Abstract: First and second automatically operable friction clutches in the power train of a motor vehicle are connected between a rotary output element of the prime mover and first and second input elements of a change-speed gearbox. The wear upon the friction linings on the clutch disc of one of the clutches is frequently different from the wear upon the friction linings, on the clutch disc of the other clutch. This is compensated for by automatically ascertaining the extent of wear upon the friction linings of the two clutches and by carrying out remedial undertakings such as temporarily reducing or interrupting the wear upon the friction linings which were subjected to more pronounced wear and/or increasing the wear upon the other friction linings.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2002Publication date: June 12, 2003Applicant: LUK LAMELLEN UND KUPPLUNGSBAU BETEILIGUNGS KGInventors: Sebastien Beneton, Christopher Raber, Rolf Meinhard, Reinhard Berger
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Publication number: 20030054920Abstract: In a method of shifting a vehicle transmission from an old ratio to a new ratio, the output torque of the transmission is managed by controlling the engine torque and/or the transmittable torque of the main clutch, and by also controlling the transmittable torque of at least one of the gear-shifting clutches of the transmission.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2002Publication date: March 20, 2003Applicant: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: Reinhard Berger, Gunter Hirt, Jurgen Benz
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Publication number: 20030051964Abstract: The invention relates to a torque transmission device comprising a first and at least one second coupling device, of which each can be switched into different switching positions The torque transmission device also comprises a drive device, an actuating device and a drive release device or a spring device or a change-over device or a release lever device or a valve device.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2002Publication date: March 20, 2003Applicant: Luk Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: Gunter Hirt, Reinhard Berger, Rolf Meinhard
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Patent number: 6510931Abstract: A torque transfer system, particularly an automated shift transmission of a motor vehicle, has a movable shifter element that is subject to a position-dependent force. The gear positions of the transmission correspond to minima of potential energy of the position-dependent force, so that the movable element will have a tendency to fall into the nearest one of the shift positions. To perform a gear shift, the movable shifter element is moved into the vicinity of the targeted gear position by means of a control device directing a shift actuator. When the movable shifter element has stopped moving within a given tolerance band of the targeted position, the control device generates a stall-releasing signal, e.g., a series of pulses of alternating polarity to overcome a holding force or holding torque of the movable element, so that the latter will seek a position of minimum potential energy and thus move towards the targeted gear-shift position.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2001Date of Patent: January 28, 2003Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: Reinhard Berger, Martin Vornehm, Stefan Winkelmann
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Publication number: 20020185351Abstract: A clutch-actuator device is equipped with a position-detecting device for detecting at least one of the different possible positions of engagement, disengagement and partial engagement of a clutch that serves to control the amounts of torque being transmitted between two rotary components of a torque-transmitting mechanism. The position-detecting device performs its detecting function independently of any measurement of the clutch position which may be performed by a displacement-measuring device.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 3, 2002Publication date: December 12, 2002Applicant: Luk Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: Reinhard Berger, Michael Gallion
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Publication number: 20020184959Abstract: A motor vehicle power train with an engine, a transmission and a clutch includes a means to operate the transmission and/or clutch automatically through at least one electric actuator motor. The electric actuator motor, which acts on an input element of the transmission and/or clutch, comprises a brushless direct current motor.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2002Publication date: December 12, 2002Applicant: LuK Getriebe-Systeme GmbHInventors: Gerd Ahnert, Andreas Deimel, Andreas Rogg, Reinhard Berger
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Publication number: 20020156562Abstract: Specific shift positions of an electrically actuated vehicle transmission, such as first to fifth, neutral and reverse gears, are detected by monitoring one or more characteristic electrical variables, e.g., actuator currents, during a shift movement of the transmission and by correlating increased or decreased levels of current with the arrival at or passage through the specific shift positions.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2001Publication date: October 24, 2002Applicant: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: Reinhard Berger, Martin Vornehm, Stefan Winkelmann, Marc Hauptmann, Klaus Henneberger, Klaus Kupper
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Publication number: 20020128763Abstract: A method of regulating the position of a clutch actuator in a vehicle employs the concept of adapting the servo-loop parameters of a position controller of the clutch to different operating conditions of the vehicle, as well as the concept of applying and continuously adapting a bias current of the actuator motor in order to avoid or minimize the incidence of a hunting or after-regulation behavior of the control loop and to thereby minimize the energy consumption of the actuator motor.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2001Publication date: September 12, 2002Applicant: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: Thomas Jager, Reinhard Berger, Martin Zimmermann, Georg Schneider, Mario Jung, Jurgen Gerhart, Alexander Renfer
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Publication number: 20020125094Abstract: The invention relates to a transmission system with a shift mechanism for controlling the transmission system, a control device for controlling a transmission system with a shift mechanism, a method for controlling such a transmission system or shift mechanism, as well as an application for the transmission system.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2001Publication date: September 12, 2002Inventors: Martin Zimmermann, Holger Stork, Georg Schneider, Klaus Henneberger, Martin Eckert, Gunter Hirt, Thomas Jager, Martin Vornehm, Volker Kretz-Busch, Reinhard Berger
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Patent number: 6443276Abstract: The power train of a motor vehicle has an automated transmission and/or an automated clutch, at least one control unit and at least one actor receiving signals from the control unit and serving to control the operation of the automated constituent or constituents of the power train. A reestablishable connection can be interrupted in the event of a malfunctioning of the power train, such as exhaustion of the supply of electrical energy, defectiveness of the actor and/or defectiveness of the automated constituent or constituents and/or defectiveness of the motion transmitting connection or connections between the actor and the automated constituent or constituents. This renders it possible to set the transmission in neutral or into another gear and/or to select the condition of the clutch in such a way that the vehicle can advance to a selected destination under it own power or that it can be towed to such destination.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2001Date of Patent: September 3, 2002Assignee: LuK Getriebe-Systeme GmbHInventors: Gerd Ahnert, Andreas Deimel, Andreas Rogg, Reinhard Berger
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Publication number: 20020108457Abstract: A motor vehicle transmission is shiftable in a track pattern with a selector track and shift tracks. A shifter element moves along the tracks when the transmission is shifted from one gear ratio to another. The shifts are directed by a control device sending command signals to an actuator device which, in turn, applies an actuating force to the transmission. A main position-detecting device detects the position of the shifter element relative to the selector track and shift tracks, and a redundant position-detecting device performs an additional, redundant determination of the shifter-element position.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2002Publication date: August 15, 2002Applicant: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KGInventors: Reinhard Berger, Marc Hauptmann, Michael Gallion, Martin Vornehm, Martin Zimmermann
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Publication number: 20020088292Abstract: An actuator for actuating an element of an automated clutch or of an automated transmission in a motor vehicle. The actuator includes a housing that receives a toothed rack and a gear that meshingly engages with the toothed rack. An electric motor is drivingly connected with the gear for shifting the position of the toothed rack relative to the housing. The actuator is spring biased in a predetermined direction by a spring that extends between a point on the toothed rack and a point on the housing. The electric motor and the gear can be fastened to the housing as preassembled unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2001Publication date: July 11, 2002Inventors: Reinhard Berger, Norbert Esly, Julian Buckler
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Publication number: 20020088681Abstract: A torque transfer system, particularly an automated shift transmission of a motor vehicle, has a movable shifter element that is subject to a position-dependent force. The gear positions of the transmission correspond to minima of potential energy of the position-dependent force, so that the movable element will have a tendency to fall into the nearest one of the shift positions. To perform a gear shift, the movable shifter element is moved into the vicinity of the targeted gear position by means of a control device directing a shift actuator. When the movable shifter element has stopped moving within a given tolerance band of the targeted position, the control device generates a stall-releasing signal, e.g., a series of pulses of alternating polarity to overcome a holding force or holding torque of the movable element, so that the latter will seek a position of minimum potential energy and thus move towards the targeted gear-shift position.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2001Publication date: July 11, 2002Applicant: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiliungs KGInventors: Reinhard Berger, Martin Vornehm, Stefan Winkelmann
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Publication number: 20020055807Abstract: In a method of operating a motor vehicle with an electronically controlled automatic clutch device, a control device and one or more data-storing devices for values of operating quantities and parameters, the values are stored in at least duplicate form in the data-storing device. The data are stored in prescribed formats and the integrity of the data is checked according to prescribed criteria, to ensure that incorrect data are not used in the operation of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2001Publication date: May 9, 2002Applicant: Luk Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteilgungs KGInventors: Martin Zimmermann, Reinhard Berger, Alfons Wagner
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Publication number: 20020033059Abstract: A double clutch transmission in connection with an electric unit, as well as a method for operating the transmission.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2001Publication date: March 21, 2002Inventors: Thomas Pels, Dierk Reitz, Reinhard Berger, Wolfgang Reik, Robert Fischer