Patents by Inventor Roland Mair
Roland Mair 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: 9039569Abstract: A method of controlling an automated transmission for motor vehicles with one or several pressure activated positioning cylinders (6, 8, 20), via the assigned shift valves (10, 12), at least one main cut-off valve (4) which is positioned prior to the shift valves, and a control device for controlling the shift and main cut-off valves. The pressure requests, for the shifting, are determined and the respective main cut-off valves are triggered depending on the determined pressure requests. To enable a variable match of the supply pressure during transmission shifts, respective optimized pressures or pressure patterns are determined for certain shift scenarios which, for instance, consider a mass to be synchronized, the existence of a tooth-on-tooth position, or the like. Through this method, for instance, the load on shift elements, the shift timing, and the shift noise can be positively influenced.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2012Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Mario Steinborn, Jochen Breuer, Christoph Ruechardt, Thomas Jaeger, Roland Mair, Melchor Moro-Oliveros
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Patent number: 9008925Abstract: A method of controlling a transmission brake of an automated change-speed transmission having a control cylinder, that is pressurized by inlet and outlet valves, and an upstream main cut-off valve by which a nominal pressure, supplied to the control cylinder, is regulated. Functional deviations of the transmission brake can be considered during a shifting operation, when the transmission is in neutral, the motor coupling clutch is disengaged and the transmission brake is engaged. The rotational speed gradient and the mass of the transmission components to be braked are determined and used to calculate the current braking torque of the transmission brake. The current braking torque relates to the current regulated nominal pressure, and the determined values are stored in a control unit and used during subsequent actuation of the transmission brake.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2012Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Mario Steinborn, Jochen Breuer, Christoph Ruechardt, Thomas Jaeger, Roland Mair, Melchor Moro-Oliveros
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Patent number: 8998773Abstract: A method of controlling shifting in a transmission having a first partial transmission, designed as a dual-clutch transmission, which comprises first and second clutches by which the dual-clutch transmission can be functionally connected to a turbocharged internal combustion engine. A second partial transmission is arranged in the drive-train, downstream of the dual-clutch transmission, which is in the form of a main transmission that shifts with traction force interruption. To at least reduce traction power loss of the turbocharged engine after a traction shift, during a traction shift involving a gearshift in the main transmission, the clutches are at least partially engaged so as to be braced against one another and produce a torque that acts in opposition to the drive engine by virtue of which, during the traction shift, the supercharge pressure of the drive engine is largely maintained, or at least built up shortly after the traction shift.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2011Date of Patent: April 7, 2015Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Florian Schneider, Roland Mair
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Patent number: 8909447Abstract: A method of controlling shifts in a vehicle transmission, for example a utility vehicle, having a transmission or partial transmission designed as a dual-clutch transmission that shifts as a without traction force interruption. The transmission comprises a dual clutch having a first clutch and a second clutch that are functionally connected to a drive engine, and a transmission or partial transmission comprises a main transmission that shifts with traction force interruption and is connected to a drive-train downstream from the dual-clutch transmission. During shifts in the main transmission that is connected downstream from the dual-clutch transmission, the dual clutch is operated, by pre-loading the two clutches, as a transmission brake and/or an engine brake for adapting the speed of components to be shifted so as to enable short shifting times and ensure comfortable and reliable driving operation.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2011Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Florian Schneider, Roland Mair
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Publication number: 20140355282Abstract: Aircraft passageway storage units are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a storage assembly to be supported on a floor of an interior of a fuselage of an aircraft. The storage assembly has a corner to be adjacent a passageway of the interior of the fuselage, and the passageway is to extend around the corner. The example apparatus also includes a door coupled to the storage assembly. The door extends from a first side of the storage assembly to a second side of the storage assembly and defines a portion of the corner. The door is to cover an opening of a compartment of the storage assembly when the door is in a closed position, and the opening is to extend from the first side to the second side.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2014Publication date: December 4, 2014Applicant: The Boeing CompanyInventors: Nathanial C. Cuddy, Chris Gren McInelly, Roland Mair, Russell W. Keck, Michael S. Lewis, Daniel Rivera, Tushar Mayur Sampat, Derrick Joseph Hanratty, Harold Glenn Erickson, Mitchell Kotlik, Timothy Mark Jones
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Publication number: 20140321943Abstract: A screw (10) and a connection produced therewith of a thin metal sheet forming a substructure (40) to a plastics component (30) having a through-bore (32) and having a seal (50) located between the substructure (40) and the component (30). The screw (10) has a shank (13) having a thread-cutting thread (16) and a tip (12) in the form of a boring part, and also a lower thread section (18) having a first thread outside diameter (D18) and an upper thread section (19) having a second, larger thread outside diameter (D19) and having a conically narrowing transition section (22) between the two thread sections (18, 19). The upper thread section (19) has a thread pitch (P2) which is smaller than the thread pitch (P1) of the lower thread section (18).Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2013Publication date: October 30, 2014Applicant: SFS INTEC HOLDING AGInventors: Roland Mair, Rene Dutler
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Patent number: 8870712Abstract: A method of controlling a shift of an automated group gearbox having a multi-step main transmission and a trailing two-step range group. An input shaft of the main transmission is driven by a drive device. The main transmission and a range group have synchronization devices with shift clutches. Each synchronization device, for the main transmission, has two shift positions for respective gear ratio steps and a neutral position and the range group synchronization device has only two shift positions to shift between two gear ratios steps. To accelerate range shifts, when synchronizing the range group, the main transmission input shaft is synchronized by controlling external synchronization aids to a target rotational speed at which either after the synchronization and shifting of the gear ratio step of the range group or independently from the current synchronization condition of the range group, the target gear ratio is engaged in the main transmission.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2012Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Mario Steinborn, Roland Mair, Florian Schneider, Jochen Breuer
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Publication number: 20140309901Abstract: A control device for a motor vehicle such that during a driving direction change from an original direction and/or during a starting process and/or during a stopping process and/or during a rolling process, in order to assist with the driving direction change and/or starting process and/or stopping process and/or rolling process, an appropriate control signal is provided by the control device to automatically activate a service brake. The control device automatically determines the friction energy produced at a starting clutch, during the driving direction change and/or starting process and/or stopping process and/or rolling process, without activation of the service brake. The control device only automatically activates the service brake, to assist with the driving direction change and/or starting process and/or stopping process and/or rolling process, if the determined friction energy exceeds a limit value.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2012Publication date: October 16, 2014Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Florian Schneider, Thomas Jaeger, Roland Mair
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Patent number: 8806975Abstract: A method of operating a powertrain may include providing an automatic transmission disposed between a drive unit and an axle drive. One input shaft of the automatic transmission is connected by means of an operable clutch to the drive unit and an output shaft of the automatic transmission is connected to the axle drive. A transmission-side, mobile auxiliary drive is configured to couple with a transmission-side connection. The transmission-side connection point for the auxiliary drive is decoupled from the axle drive and, at least partially from the drive unit. The rotational rate of the transmission-side connection point for the auxiliary drive and the auxiliary drive are synchronized, whereby the auxiliary drive is coupled to the connection point. The transmission-side connection point for the auxiliary drive, and thereby the auxiliary drive, is coupled to the drive unit as well as the axle drive.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2011Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Florian Schneider, Roland Mair
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Publication number: 20140171263Abstract: A method of controlling a shift of an automated group gearbox having a multi-step main transmission and a trailing two-step range group. An input shaft of the main transmission is driven by a drive device. The main transmission and a range group have synchronization devices with shift clutches. Each synchronization device, for the main transmission, has two shift positions for respective gear ratio steps and a neutral position and the range group synchronization device has only two shift positions to shift between two gear ratios steps. To accelerate range shifts, when synchronizing the range group, the main transmission input shaft is synchronized by controlling external synchronization aids to a target rotational speed at which either after the synchronization and shifting of the gear ratio step of the range group or independently from the current synchronization condition of the range group, the target gear ratio is engaged in the main transmission.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2012Publication date: June 19, 2014Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Mario Steinborn, Roland Mair, Florian Schneider, Jochen Breuer
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Patent number: 8753250Abstract: A method for startup control of a motor vehicle whose drive train comprises a drive engine built as a turbo-charged internal combustion engine, an automated friction clutch, and an automatic stepped transmission, with a startup which is triggered by the activation of the gas pedal from the stationary state, after engagement of a determined startup gear. The driven engine, in conjunction with coordinated engagement of the friction clutch, is controlled from the idle speed to a startup speed and from the idle torque to a determined startup torque. To reduce the load on the friction clutch, the method provides that the lowest possible engine speed, which can be generated spontaneously under load from the idle speed depending on the dynamic operating characteristics of the drive engine and with which the drive engine can generate the determined startup torque, is determined and set as the startup speed.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2011Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventor: Roland Mair
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Patent number: 8715137Abstract: A method of controlling an automatic transmission of a vehicle in which a hold gear function is activated by a driver request and deactivated depending on a return condition. The method comprises the step of (a) determining the return condition by a change in operating state, and (b) deactivating the hold gear function if a temporary operating state, for which the hold function is requested, ends and a change takes place between one of uphill driving and downhill driving and between driving one of up and down a hill and driving on a same plane.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2013Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Matthias Winkel, Thomas Jager, Roland Mair, Reiner Kneer
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Publication number: 20140121912Abstract: A method of initializing the mass of a motor vehicle, in particular when the motor vehicle is re-started or when it is at rest, for the control of a starting process of the motor vehicle. From measured and/or calculated operating parameters of the motor vehicle, an operating situation of the motor vehicle is determined and, on the basis of the operating situation determined and as a function of operating situation dependent loading and/or unloading patterns, the mass of the motor vehicle is initialized.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2013Publication date: May 1, 2014Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Roland MAIR, Florian SCHNEIDER
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Publication number: 20140088843Abstract: A method provides for adapting shifts to be carried out in a transmission of a motor vehicle. The shifts are triggered by a transmission control unit and are is controlled and/or governed by the transmission control unit. An actual value corresponding to an acceleration of the motor vehicle is recorded by measuring instruments and is compared to a corresponding target value. On the basis of a deviation between the actual value and the target value, the carrying out of the subsequent shifts of the transmission control unit is adapted. The actual value corresponding to an acceleration of the motor vehicle is individually recorded for several consecutive shift stages of each shift, whereas the actual value in the individual shift stages is compared to the target value in the individual shift stages of the transmission control unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2012Publication date: March 27, 2014Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Rudolf Kalthoff, Jörg Kurth, Roland Mair, Thomas Jäger, Florian Schneider
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Patent number: 8672806Abstract: A method for determining a startup gear in a motor vehicle for starting from standstill while maintaining a load limit of the clutch in a the drive train which comprises a drive engine built as an internal combustion engine, a friction clutch, and an automatic stepped transmission. To avoid overloading the clutch, the method determines a load-independent startup gear with which startup would occur under the present starting conditions without considering the current load state of the clutch and without complying with a load limit of the clutch. A load-specific startup gear is determined as the highest startup gear, with which during a startup under the present starting conditions, a predefined load limit of the clutch would be maintained with consideration given to the present load state of the clutch. The startup gear is the lowest of the load-independent startup gear and the at least one load-specific startup gear.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2011Date of Patent: March 18, 2014Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventor: Roland Mair
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Patent number: 8663067Abstract: A method of operating an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle. The automatic transmission, when the motor vehicle is driven with an actuated accelerator and an engaged starting clutch, and then coasts with the accelerator not actuated and the starting clutch engaged, during coasting with the engaged starting clutch the transmission remaining in the gear in which it was previously driven with the gas pedal actuated. When the transmission input speed of the automatic transmission drops below a limit value, during coasting, the starting clutch is disengaged. During coasting with a disengaged starting clutch in the automatic transmission, a gear is shifted that matches the current speed of the motor vehicle so that, when the starting clutch is subsequently engaged, a gear is available that matches the speed of the motor vehicle prevailing at the time the starting clutch is subsequently engaged.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2008Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Roland Mair, Florian Schneider
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Patent number: 8666620Abstract: A method of controlling an automated stepped transmission disposed in a drive train of a motor vehicle in conjunction with a turbo-charged internal combustion engine. In which the control of start-up and shifting procedures depends on the response behavior of the internal combustion engine. In order to enable control of the start-up and shifting processes with considerably lower coordination effort, the actual response behavior of the internal combustion engine is taken from an engine dynamics characteristic map in which the immediately available maximum torque (Mmax) of the internal combustion engine is stored as a function of the current engine torque (MM) and the current engine speed (nM, thus (Mmax=f(MM, nM)).Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2009Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventor: Roland Mair
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Publication number: 20140020494Abstract: A method of controlling an automated transmission with positioning cylinders (6, 8, 20) controlled by shift valves or venting valves (10, 12, 16, 18, 22, 24). At least one cut-off valve (4) is positioned in front of the shift or venting valves and a control device controls the valves while pressure pipes, which follow the cut-off valve (4), are connected with one another following the cut-off valve (4). Due to the fact that the cut-off valve (4), for reasons of design simplicity and cost, is generally designed as a simple 2/2 way valve which only allows pressure increase but not pressure reduction, the method provides control of the shift valves or ventilation or venting valves (16, 18), of a non activated positioning cylinder (8), so that the pressure pipe system is connected with an outflow pipe (14) for a pressure reduction in the pressure pipe system (30, 32, 34).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2012Publication date: January 23, 2014Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Mario Steinborn, Jochen Breuer, Christoph Ruechardt, Thomas Jaeger, Roland Mair, Melchor Moro-Oliveros
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Publication number: 20140020371Abstract: A method of controlling an automated transmission for motor vehicles with one or several pressure activated positioning cylinders (6, 8, 20), via the assigned shift valves (10, 12), at least one main cut-off valve (4) which is positioned prior to the shift valves, and a control device for controlling the shift and main cut-off valves. The pressure requests, for the shifting, are determined and the respective main cut-off valves are triggered depending on the determined pressure requests. To enable a variable match of the supply pressure during transmission shifts, respective optimized pressures or pressure patterns are determined for certain shift scenarios which, for instance, consider a mass to be synchronized, the existence of a tooth-on-tooth position, or the like. Through this method, for instance, the load on shift elements, the shift timing, and the shift noise can be positively influenced.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2012Publication date: January 23, 2014Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Mario Steinborn, Jochen Breuer, Christoph Ruechardt, Thomas Jaeger, Roland Mair, Melchor Moro-Oliveros
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Patent number: D730804Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2013Date of Patent: June 2, 2015Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: Nathanial C. Cuddy, Chris Gren McInelly, Roland Mair, Russell W. Keck, Michael S. Lewis, Daniel Rivera, Tushar Mayur Sampat, Derrick Joseph Hanratty, Harold Glenn Erickson, Mitchell Kotlik, Timothy Mark Jones