Patents by Inventor Rudolf Heinz

Rudolf Heinz 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: 9834169
    Abstract: A device for activating a passenger protection unit for a vehicle. The device includes a fuel element chamber having at least one fuel element, which is designed to generate a hot gas for activating the passenger protection unit by combustion, the fuel element chamber having an outlet opening for releasing the hot gas into the passenger protection unit, and the pressure container being designed to store a pressurized cold gas, the pressure container having at least one opening for the controlled release of the cold gas into the fuel element chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Klaus Heyer, Rudolf Heinz, Horst Jung, Uwe Iben, Raed Hamada, Werner Nitschke
  • Patent number: 9573557
    Abstract: A valve for a cold gas generator for an airbag in a vehicle includes: a valve chamber; a control chamber; a control piston; an overflow channel; a retaining element; and a shutoff element. The valve chamber includes an inlet from the cold gas generator and an outlet to the airbag. The control piston separates the control chamber and the valve chamber. The control piston is movable between an open position and a closed position, the control piston releasing the outlet in the open position and closing it in the closed position. The control piston has (i) a first active piston surface on the side of the valve chamber, and (ii) a second active piston surface on the side of the control chamber. The first piston surface is smaller than the second piston surface. The overflow channel fluidically connects the valve chamber and the control chamber to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Dirk Wolf, Rudolf Heinz, Andreas Illmann, Horst Jung, Nikola Jovicic, Stefan Woerz, Guenther Hohl, Uwe Iben, Raed Hamada, Elmar Vier, Werner Nitschke, Dietmar Kratzer, Peter Wassermann
  • Publication number: 20160339865
    Abstract: A device for activating a passenger protection unit for a vehicle. The device includes a fuel element chamber having at least one fuel element, which is designed to generate a hot gas for activating the passenger protection unit by combustion, the fuel element chamber having an outlet opening for releasing the hot gas into the passenger protection unit, and the pressure container being designed to store a pressurized cold gas, the pressure container having at least one opening for the controlled release of the cold gas into the fuel element chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: Klaus Heyer, Rudolf Heinz, Horst Jung, Uwe Iben, Raed Hamada, Werner Nitschke
  • Patent number: 9352722
    Abstract: An activation device for a protection device includes: a body with a chamber that has, respectively at first and second ends, a medium inlet opening to a medium storage and a valve opening, and an outlet opening for discharging the medium into the protection device between the first and second ends; a valve for opening and closing the valve opening for passage of the medium; and a piston that (a) includes a passage along a main extension axis, from a first surface thereof adjacent to the medium inlet opening, to a second surface thereof, larger than the first surface and adjacent to the valve opening, and (b) is movable in the chamber by the medium and as a function of the control valve position between a position in which the at least one outlet opening is closed and a position in which the at least one outlet opening is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Wasserman, Werner Nitschke, Elmar Vier, Raed Hamada, Horst Beling, Uwe Iben, Guenther Hohl, Stefan Woerz, Rudolf Heinz, Dirk Wolf, Martin Klein, Heiko Druckenmueller, Klaus Heyer
  • Publication number: 20160059820
    Abstract: A valve for a cold gas generator for an airbag in a vehicle includes: a valve chamber; a control chamber; a control piston; an overflow channel; a retaining element; and a shutoff element. The valve chamber includes an inlet from the cold gas generator and an outlet to the airbag. The control piston separates the control chamber and the valve chamber. The control piston is movable between an open position and a closed position, the control piston releasing the outlet in the open position and closing it in the closed position. The control piston has (i) a first active piston surface on the side of the valve chamber, and (ii) a second active piston surface on the side of the control chamber. The first piston surface is smaller than the second piston surface. The overflow channel fluidically connects the valve chamber and the control chamber to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Dirk WOLF, Rudolf HEINZ, Andreas ILLMANN, Horst Jung, Nikola Jovicic, Stefan Woerz, Guenther Hohl, Uwe Iben, Raed Hamada, Elmar Vier, Werner Nitschke, Dietmar Kratzer, Peter Wassermann
  • Publication number: 20150210243
    Abstract: An activation device for a protection device includes: a body with a chamber that has, respectively at first and second ends, a medium inlet opening to a medium storage and a valve opening, and an outlet opening for discharging the medium into the protection device between the first and second ends; a valve for opening and closing the valve opening for passage of the medium; and a piston that (a) includes a passage along a main extension axis, from a first surface thereof adjacent to the medium inlet opening, to a second surface thereof, larger than the first surface and adjacent to the valve opening, and (b) is movable in the chamber by the medium and as a function of the control valve position between a position in which the at least one outlet opening is closed and a position in which the at least one outlet opening is opened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2015
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: Peter WASSERMAN, Werner NITSCHKE, Elmar VIER, Raed HAMADA, Horst BELING, Uwe IBEN, Guenther HOHL, Stefan WOERZ, Rudolf HEINZ, Dirk WOLF, Martin KLEIN, Heiko DRUCKENMUELLER, Klaus HEYER
  • Patent number: 8201753
    Abstract: An actuator module including a piezoactuator, for example for a piezoinjector for metering fuel in an internal combustion engine, is proposed. The piezoactuator has piezoelements stacked one above another between an actuator head and an actuator foot and is provided with at least one elastomer layer enclosing the piezoelements. The elastomer layer is enveloped by a corrugated bellows or by telescopic tubes, composed of a material that is diffusion-impermeable with respect to a fuel to be metered by the piezoinjector. The corrugated bellows or the telescopic tubes have on their periphery grooves which can absorb expansions of the elastomer layer or of the piezoactuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Heinz, Dieter Kienzler, Udo Schaich
  • Patent number: 7872398
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator module having a multilayer structure of piezoelectric elements is proposed as a piezoelectric actuator, wherein a different polarity of an electric voltage is alternately applied to inner electrodes which are arranged between piezoelectric layers of the piezoelectric elements in the direction of the layer structure of the piezoelectric elements, said module having an actuator foot and an actuator head composed of steel and having an elastic insulation medium which surrounds at least the piezoelectric elements in predefined limits. At least one annular groove or recess, into which a material which can be crosslinked with the insulation medium is vulcanized, is provided on the actuator foot and/or on the actuator head, and a flexible, weldable hose or sheath lies encompasses the piezoelectric element, and at least above the grooves or recesses containing the material as an insulation medium the weldable hose is welded to the material in the grooves or recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Heinz, Dieter Kienzler, Udo Schaich, Thomas Pauer
  • Publication number: 20100163650
    Abstract: An actuator module including a piezoactuator, for example for a piezoinjector for metering fuel in an internal combustion engine, is proposed. The piezoactuator has piezoelements stacked one above another between an actuator head and an actuator foot and is provided with at least one elastomer layer enclosing the piezoelements. The elastomer layer is enveloped by a corrugated bellows or by telescopic tubes, composed of a material that is diffusion-impermeable with respect to a fuel to be metered by the piezoinjector. The corrugated bellows or the telescopic tubes have on their periphery grooves which can absorb expansions of the elastomer layer or of the piezoactuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Rudolf Heinz, Dieter Kienzler, Udo Schaich
  • Patent number: 7728489
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator with piezoelectric elements, fastened between an actuator head and an actuator foot, and with a plastic sleeve surrounding at least the piezoelectric elements is proposed, which is set in a clamping ring on the actuator head and/or the actuator foot of the piezoelectric actuator. The respective clamping ring may be a metal part or a plastic part, which is equipped with clamping lugs suitable for setting the plastic sleeve and is thrust, pressed, or shrunk onto the respective actuator head and/or actuator foot of the steel piezoelectric actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Heinz, Dieter Kienzler, Udo Schaich
  • Patent number: 7621258
    Abstract: An injector with a double-switching control valve in which a valve body is guided in the housing of the control valve in a way that reduces the wear on a valve cone of the valve body and on a first valve seat in the housing of the control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Heinz, Wolfgang Stoecklein
  • Patent number: 7595579
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator module having a piezoelectric actuator, fastened between an actuator head and an actuator foot, and having a sheath, surrounding the piezoelectric actuator, for electrical passivation, is proposed in which the sheath is an insulation guard layer that is joined by nonpositive and/or positive engagement, by means of a mechanical attachment, to attachment components in the region of the end faces of the piezoelectric actuator or of the actuator head and/or of the actuator foot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Rudolf Heinz, Dieter Kienzler, Roland Herwig, Udo Schaich
  • Publication number: 20090206700
    Abstract: A piezo actuator in the form of a piezo injector, includes a holding body having an inner space, and having a piezo element disposed in an inner space and encompassing multiple piezoelectric plies disposed to form a stack, which element is electrically contactable through the holding body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2006
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Inventors: Rudolf Heinz, Dieter Kienzler, Udo Schaich
  • Publication number: 20090200897
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator module having a multilayer structure of piezoelectric elements is proposed as a piezoelectric actuator, wherein a different polarity of an electric voltage is alternately applied to inner electrodes which are arranged between piezoelectric layers of the piezoelectric elements in the direction of the layer structure of the piezoelectric elements, said module having an actuator foot and an actuator head composed of steel and having an elastic insulation medium which surrounds at least the piezoelectric elements in predefined limits. At least one annular groove or recess, into which a material which can be crosslinked with the insulation medium is vulcanized, is provided on the actuator foot and/or on the actuator head, and a flexible, weldable hose or sheath lies encompasses the piezoelectric element, and at least above the grooves or recesses containing the material as an insulation medium the weldable hose is welded to the material in the grooves or recesses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
    Inventors: Rudolf Heinz, Dieter Kienzler, Udo Schaich, Thomas Pauer
  • Publication number: 20090145404
    Abstract: An injector with a double-switching control valve in which a valve body is guided in the housing of the control valve in a way that reduces the wear on a valve cone of the valve body and on a first valve seat in the housing of the control valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Inventors: Rudolf Heinz, Wolfgang Stoecklein
  • Publication number: 20090050114
    Abstract: The invention relates to an injector for the fuel supply of an internal combustion engine, in particular in a motor vehicle. The injector has a piezoactuator for activating and/or actuating at least one nozzle needle to control the injection of fuel under high pressure through at least one nozzle spray hole. The piezoactuator is arranged with its shaft disposed in an actuator chamber of an injector body, and a high-pressure path directing the fuel under high pressure to at least one nozzle spray hole passes through the actuator chamber. In the injector according to the invention, the piezoactuator has an actuator foot at an end remote from the nozzle needle. The actuator foot has a sealing contour facing the nozzle needle and fitting in a sealing seat formed on the injector body remote from the nozzle needle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Rudolf Heinz, Dieter Kienzler, Udo Schaich
  • Publication number: 20080309197
    Abstract: The invention relates to a piezoelectric actuator used as a piezoelectric injector, comprising a holding body provided with an inner region, an upper part and a lower part, and a piezoelectric element which is arranged in the inner region against the upper part of the holding body and includes a plurality of piezoelectric layers arranged in the form of a stack, The piezoelectric element can be electrically contacted through the holding body. The upper part of the holding body has at least one connection for electrically contacting the piezoelectric element, and at least one connection and flow channels for feeding the inner chamber with a fluid that can be metered by means of a regulating element containing the piezoelectric element. An electrical plug-in connection is arranged between the piezoelectric element and the upper part of the holding body, which includes a mechanical plug-in connection being arranged between the holding body upper part and the piezoelectric element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2006
    Publication date: December 18, 2008
    Inventors: Rudolf Heinz, Dieter Kienzler, Udo Schaich
  • Publication number: 20080296411
    Abstract: A fuel injection valve with a valve member axially displaceable in a bore of a valve body comprises a valve stem, the combustion chamber end, with which it interacts with a valve face of the valve body, at least one injection opening downstream of the valve face and opening into the combustion chamber to be supplied with fuel, a guide section of the valve body guiding the valve member and being disposed axially between an annular gap connected to the high-pressure fuel line and an annular space leading to the valve face, a first throttle connection permanently interlinking the annular gap and the annular space, and a second throttle connection interlinking the annular gap and the annular space as of a defined opening stroke of the valve member and having a smaller throttle resistance than the first throttle connection. The guide section is configured by a guide sleeve that is fastened at the combustion chamber end of the valve body in the bore so as to be stationary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Rudolf Heinz, Patrick Mattes, Wolfgang Stoecklein, Holger Rapp, Marcus Schilling, Violaine Chassagnoux
  • Publication number: 20080265716
    Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator with piezoelectric elements, fastened between an actuator head and an actuator foot, and with a plastic sleeve surrounding at least the piezoelectric elements is proposed, which is set in a clamping ring on the actuator head and/or the actuator foot of the piezoelectric actuator. The respective clamping ring may be a metal part or a plastic part, which is equipped with clamping lugs suitable for setting the plastic sleeve and is thrust, pressed, or shrunk onto the respective actuator head and/or actuator foot of the steel piezoelectric actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Rudolf Heinz, Dieter Kienzler, Udo Schaich
  • Publication number: 20080218033
    Abstract: The invention proposes a piezoelectric actuator, for example for a piezoelectric injector or for actuating another mechanical component. The actuator has a piezoelectric element formed of a multilayer structure of piezoelectric layers. Inner electrodes are arranged between the piezoelectric layers in the direction of action and can alternately have a positive and a negative electric charge applied to them. A mutual contact-connection of the inner electrodes is established by means of which contact elements each having a core electrode and an electrically conductive elastic sheath. The contact elements are located in longitudinal inner bores of the piezoelectric actuator, perpendicularly to the layer structure. The core electrodes are provided with a conductive elastomer, which can be applied before assembly. The conductive elastomer has a predefined notch geometry in the form of a sheath in order to increase elasticity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventor: Rudolf Heinz