Patents by Inventor Ruthard Knoblach

Ruthard Knoblach 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: 6702079
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic clutch arrangement, particularly a torque converter or fluid coupling, includes a housing arrangement, a turbine wheel provided in the housing arrangement, and a lockup clutch arrangement by which a torque transmitting connection can be produced selectively between the turbine wheel and the housing arrangement. The lockup clutch arrangement includes at least two friction members which are rotatable with one of the housing arrangement and turbine wheel, and at least one counter-friction member which is interposed between the two friction members and is rotatable with the other of the housing arrangement and turbine wheel. A first friction facing on at least one of the friction members at its first side faces the at least one counter-friction member. This at least one of the friction members can be brought into frictional interaction, via a second friction facing, with another counter-friction member on its second side located opposite to the first side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Thomas Bauer, Peter Frey, Ruthard Knoblach, Christoph Sasse
  • Patent number: 6640946
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic clutch arrangement, particularly a torque converter or fluid coupling, includes a housing arrangement, a turbine wheel provided in the housing arrangement, a lockup clutch arrangement by which a torque transmitting connection can be produced selectively between the turbine wheel and the housing arrangement. The lockup clutch arrangement includes at least two friction members which are rotatable with a one of the housing arrangement and turbine wheel, at least one counter-friction member which is interposed between two friction members and is rotatable with the other of the housing arrangement and turbine wheel and can be brought into contact with friction surface regions of the friction members in friction surface regions of the counter-friction member. The counter-friction member has a substantially ring-shaped counter-friction member body having an outer radius (Ra) in a ratio of 1.1:1 to 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Thomas Bauer, Peter Frey, Ruthard Knoblach, Christoph Sasse
  • Publication number: 20020117370
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic clutch arrangement, particularly a torque converter or fluid coupling, includes a housing arrangement, a turbine wheel provided in the housing arrangement, a lockup clutch arrangement by which a torque transmitting connection can be produced selectively between the turbine wheel and the housing arrangement. The lockup clutch arrangement includes at least two friction members which are rotatable with a one of the housing arrangement and turbine wheel, at least one counter-friction member which is interposed between two friction members and is rotatable with the other of the housing arrangement and turbine wheel and can be brought into contact with friction surface regions of the friction members in friction surface regions of the counter-friction member. The counter-friction member has a substantially ring-shaped counter-friction member body having an outer radius (Ra) in a ratio of 1.1:1 to 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Applicant: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Thomas Bauer, Peter Frey, Ruthard Knoblach, Christoph Sasse
  • Publication number: 20020117369
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic clutch arrangement, particularly a torque converter or fluid coupling, includes a housing arrangement, a turbine wheel provided in the housing arrangement, and a lockup clutch arrangement by which a torque transmitting connection can be produced selectively between the turbine wheel and the housing arrangement. The lockup clutch arrangement includes .at least two friction members which are rotatable with one of the housing arrangement and turbine wheel, and at least one counter-friction member which is interposed between the two friction members and is rotatable with the other of the housing arrangement and turbine wheel. A first friction facing on at least one of the friction members at its first side faces the at least one counter-friction member. This at least one of the friction members can be brought into frictional interaction, via a second friction facing, with another counter-friction member on its second side located opposite to the first side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Applicant: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Thomas Bauer, Peter Frey, Ruthard Knoblach, Christoph Sasse
  • Patent number: 5575363
    Abstract: A hydrokinetic torque converter with a lock-up clutch which is located axially between the turbine wheel and the converter housing comprises a piston which, along with the converter housing, defines a chamber. The chamber is connected by means of at least one essentially radial flow guide to a longitudinal hole in the driven shaft. When oil which has been supplied by the converter circuit and has penetrated into the chamber in the vicinity of the friction lining flows through the chamber, the oil can be transported radially inward for discharge by means of the flow guide toward the converter axis, until it can be introduced into the driven shaft inside a ring-shaped zone surrounding the converter-axis which promotes the formation of a vortex when the converter housing is in rotation, and can then be transported via the longitudinal hole in the driven shaft to the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AG
    Inventors: Uwe Dehrmann, Peter Volland, Wolfgang Kundermann, Hans W. Wienholt, Ruthard Knoblach, Herbert Schmid