Patents by Inventor Rolf Kirschner

Rolf Kirschner 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: 11236647
    Abstract: The present disclosure concerns a slotted guide of a valve train of an internal combustion engine. The slotted guide includes two guide tracks, which cross one another in a crossing region, for guiding a switching pin of a cam follower of the valve train. The two guide tracks have an on-track region, a crossing region, and an off-track region. At least one radial projection, structured and arranged to protrude beyond the slotted guide in a radial direction, is provided in or downstream from the off-track region of at least one guide track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Inventors: Patrick Altherr, Thorsten Ihne, Rolf Kirschner, Mario Mohler, Markus Walch
  • Patent number: 11047270
    Abstract: A valve train may include a camshaft, a cam sleeve adjustable in an axial direction between first and second positions and non-rotatably arranged on the camshaft, a first cam and at least one second cam, a pin and at least one cam follower mounted thereon, a guide contour arranged on the cam sleeve and having first and second guide tracks, and a control pin optionally engaging in the first or second guide track to adjust the cam sleeve between the first and second positions. The at least one cam follower in the first and second positions may interact respectively with the first and second cams. On the camshaft or an internal surface of the cam sleeve, first and second snap-in recesses and a third snap-in recess therebetween may be arranged. A snap-in device having a snap-in element preloaded into the snap-in recesses may be provided, the snap-in recess fixing the cam sleeve in the first or second position. The first and second guide tracks may intersect in an intersection region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Inventors: Patrick Altherr, Thorsten Ihne, Rolf Kirschner, Mario Mohler, Markus Walch
  • Publication number: 20200291830
    Abstract: The present disclosure concerns a slotted guide of a valve train of an internal combustion engine. The slotted guide includes two guide tracks, which cross one another in a crossing region, for guiding a switching pin of a cam follower of the valve train. The two guide tracks have an on-track region, a crossing region, and an off-track region. At least one radial projection, structured and arranged to protrude beyond the slotted guide in a radial direction, is provided in or downstream from the off-track region of at least one guide track.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Patrick Altherr, Thorsten Ihne, Rolf Kirschner, Mario Mohler, Markus Walch
  • Publication number: 20200291829
    Abstract: A valve train may include a camshaft, a cam sleeve adjustable in an axial direction between first and second positions and non-rotatably arranged on the camshaft, a first cam and at least one second cam, a pin and at least one cam follower mounted thereon, a guide contour arranged on the cam sleeve and having first and second guide tracks, and a control pin optionally engaging in the first or second guide track to adjust the cam sleeve between the first and second positions. The at least one cam follower in the first and second positions may interact respectively with the first and second cams. On the camshaft or an internal surface of the cam sleeve, first and second snap-in recesses and a third snap-in recess therebetween may be arranged. A snap-in device having a snap-in element preloaded into the snap-in recesses may be provided, the snap-in recess fixing the cam sleeve in the first or second position. The first and second guide tracks may intersect in an intersection region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Patrick Altherr, Thorsten Ihne, Rolf Kirschner, Mario Mohler, Markus Walch
  • Patent number: 10683779
    Abstract: A valve train for a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine may include a crankshaft, at least one inlet valve, at least one outlet valve, at least one camshaft coupled rotationally to the crankshaft, at least one inlet cam held on a first camshaft, at least one outlet cam held on one of the first camshaft or a second camshaft, at least one brake cam held on one of the first camshaft or the second camshaft, at least one inlet cam follower, which may actuate the at least one inlet valve and may be drive-connected at least at times to the inlet cam, at least one outlet cam follower, which may actuate the at least one outlet valve, may be drive-connected at least at times to the outlet cam, and, in a braking mode, may be drive-connected at least at times to the brake cam, and a phase shifting device for adjusting a phase position of the brake cam relative to the crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Patrick Altherr, Christoph Beerens, Thomas Flender, Herrn Rolf Kirschner, Sascha Naujoks
  • Publication number: 20180216502
    Abstract: A valve train for a reciprocating piston internal combustion engine may include a crankshaft, at least one inlet valve, at least one outlet valve, at least one camshaft coupled rotationally to the crankshaft, at least one inlet cam held on a first camshaft, at least one outlet cam held on one of the first camshaft or a second camshaft, at least one brake cam held on one of the first camshaft or the second camshaft, at least one inlet cam follower, which may actuate the at least one inlet valve and may be drive-connected at least at times to the inlet cam, at least one outlet cam follower, which may actuate the at least one outlet valve, may be drive-connected at least at times to the outlet cam, and, in a braking mode, may be drive-connected at least at times to the brake cam, and a phase shifting device for adjusting a phase position of the brake cam relative to the crankshaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Patrick Altherr, Christoph Beerens, Thomas Flender, Herrn Rolf Kirschner, Sascha Naujoks
  • Patent number: 9903240
    Abstract: An adjustable camshaft of an internal combustion engine may include an outer shaft and an inner shaft arranged coaxially to the outer shaft and rotatable over a predefined angle. At least one first cam may be connected rotationally fixedly to the inner shaft. A second cam may be arranged beside the first cam and may be connected rotationally fixedly to the outer shaft. The first cam and the second cam may each be operatively associated with a common valve. Rotation of the first cam relative to the second cam may impart an extension of a valve opening time of the valve. The first cam and the second cam may each include an identical circular segment section in an elevated region of valve lift. The circular segment section of the first cam and the second cam may merge without interruptions during rotation about the predefined angle range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Mahle International GmbH
    Inventors: Patrick Altherr, Rolf Kirschner
  • Publication number: 20160160709
    Abstract: An adjustable camshaft of an internal combustion engine may include an outer shaft and an inner shaft arranged coaxially to the outer shaft and rotatable over a predefined angle. At least one first cam may be connected rotationally fixedly to the inner shaft. A second cam may be arranged beside the first cam and may be connected rotationally fixedly to the outer shaft. The first cam and the second cam may each be operatively associated with a common valve. Rotation of the first cam relative to the second cam may impart an extension of a valve opening time of the valve. The first cam and the second cam may each include an identical circular segment section in an elevated region of valve lift. The circular segment section of the first cam and the second cam may merge without interruptions during rotation about the predefined angle range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Patrick Altherr, Rolf Kirschner
  • Patent number: 7458880
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for grinding of cam profiles on a camshaft (1), having an inner shaft (5) and an outer shaft (4) arranged coaxially one inside the other and mounted to rotate with respect to one another. The camshaft (1) additionally has first and second cams (2, 3) that can rotate with respect to one another over a limited circumferential angle about the camshaft axis (6), the first cams (2) of which are fixedly connected to the inner shaft (5) and the second cams (3) of which are fixedly connected to the outer shaft (4). It is essential to this invention that during and/or after the grinding operation a fluid is forced under pressure into the outer shaft (4), thereby preventing penetration of grinding dust into the interspace (8) between the first cams (2) and the outer shaft (4) or flushing out any grinding dust that has already penetrated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: MAHLE International GmbH
    Inventors: Oliver Fritz, Rolf Kirschner, Roland Schacherer, Falk Schneider
  • Publication number: 20070264913
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for grinding of cam profiles on a camshaft (1), having an inner shaft (5) and an outer shaft (4) arranged coaxially one inside the other and mounted to rotate with respect to one another. The camshaft (1) additionally has first and second cams (2, 3) that can rotate with respect to one another over a limited circumferential angle about the camshaft axis (6), the first cams (2) of which are fixedly connected to the inner shaft (5) and the second cams (3) of which are fixedly connected to the outer shaft (4). It is essential to this invention that during and/or after the grinding operation a fluid is forced under pressure into the outer shaft (4), thereby preventing penetration of grinding dust into the interspace (8) between the first cams (2) and the outer shaft (4) or flushing out any grinding dust that has already penetrated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Publication date: November 15, 2007
    Inventors: Oliver Fritz, Rolf Kirschner, Roland Schacherer, Falk Schneider