Patents by Inventor Simon Geiger

Simon Geiger 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).

  • Publication number: 20250043863
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating a drivetrain of a working machine with a continuously variable transmission. The method comprises a step of detecting a current drive output rotation speed (10). The drivetrain is controlled (14) in such manner as to simulate a drivetrain with a fixed-gear transmission and a bridged converter transmission when the drive output rotation speed detected is higher than or equal to a drive output rotation speed limit. The drivetrain is controlled (16) in such manner as to simulate a drivetrain with a fixed-gear transmission and a coupled converter transmission when the drive output rotation speed detected is lower than the drive output rotation speed limit. In addition, the invention relates to a control unit for a drivetrain of a working machine with a continuously variable transmission, and a drivetrain for a working machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2024
    Publication date: February 6, 2025
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Simon Geiger, Matthias Duller
  • Publication number: 20240392875
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for accelerating a vehicle with a continuously variable transmission (1050) where a gear ratio of the transmission is at first larger than a gear ratio of a virtual fixed gear. While the vehicle is accelerating, the gear ratio of the transmission is increased to the gear ratio of the virtual fixed gear. The transmission is then operated with the gear ratio of the virtual fixed gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2024
    Publication date: November 28, 2024
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Simon Geiger, Matthias Duller
  • Publication number: 20230243666
    Abstract: When an autonomous vehicle plans a new drive mission in a confined area, a first set of environmental information, and after a time interval, a second set of environmental information, are obtained by a device flying above a confined area including the departure point and the destination point of the vehicle, each set of environmental information including locations and geometries of objects in the confined area. Then, an object that is present at the same location in the first set of environmental information and in the second set of environmental information is classified as a semi-static object, and an object that is present at different locations in the first set of environmental information and in the second set of environmental information is classified as a dynamic object. A map including location and geometry of each object classified as a semi-static object is then created.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Applicant: Volvo Autonomous Solutions AB
    Inventor: Simon GEIGER
  • Patent number: 11279363
    Abstract: A method of controlling a drive device of a construction machine with a split transmission, which is at least coupled, at an input side, to a drive force source and, on the output side, with a drive range change transmission so as to set at least two shiftable drive ranges. The method includes a detection step (S1) for detecting drive dynamic requests for operation of the construction machine and a determination step (S2) for determining whether a drive dynamic request with an increased drive dynamic is present. If a drive dynamic request with increased drive dynamics is determined, then a shifting step (S4) is executed for shifting the drive range change transmission from a second, of the at least two drive ranges, to a first of the at least two drive ranges, to achieve increased driving dynamics of the construction machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Simon Geiger, Matthias Madlener, Stephan Schinacher, Matthias Duller
  • Patent number: 10988050
    Abstract: A section disconnect device for a contact line assigned in particular to railborne vehicles as overhead line and carrying high voltage, having a single section arrangement (10) with multiple line sections extending, such that it is tensioned or can be tensioned, between two contact-wire connecting heads (12, 14) and provided with insulator means (36, 38), which line section arrangement is constructed such that it can be mounted by means of respective accommodating sections (66) of the contact-wire connecting heads in an electrically and mechanically contacting manner between exposed ends (16, 18) of the contact line, as a result of which at least one of the contact-wire connecting heads (12, 14) has adjustable level equalization means (66, 68, 70) for interacting with a head-side end (20, 24) of the line section arrangement (10), which are constructed in such a manner that, with respect to a current collector contact, in particular a current-collector-contact side of the contact line and/or a current-collecto
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: KUMMLER + MATTER AG
    Inventors: Dennis Darra, Simon Geiger, Rolf Staubli
  • Publication number: 20200298860
    Abstract: A method of controlling a drive device of a construction machine with a split transmission, which is at least coupled, at an input side, to a drive force source and, on the output side, with a drive range change transmission so as to set at least two shiftable drive ranges. The method includes a detection step (S1) for detecting drive dynamic requests for operation of the construction machine and a determination step (S2) for determining whether a drive dynamic request with an increased drive dynamic is present. If a drive dynamic request with increased drive dynamics is determined, then a shifting step (S4) is executed for shifting the drive range change transmission from a second, of the at least two drive ranges, to a first of the at least two drive ranges, to achieve increased driving dynamics of the construction machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Simon GEIGER, Matthias MADLENER, Stephan SCHINACHER, Matthias DULLER
  • Publication number: 20200276912
    Abstract: A section disconnect device for a contact line assigned in particular to railborne vehicles as overhead line and carrying high voltage, having a single section arrangement (10) with multiple line sections extending, such that it is tensioned or can be tensioned, between two contact-wire connecting heads (12, 14) and provided with insulator means (36, 38), which line section arrangement is constructed such that it can be mounted by means of respective accommodating sections (66) of the contact-wire connecting heads in an electrically and mechanically contacting manner between exposed ends (16, 18) of the contact line, as a result of which at least one of the contact-wire connecting heads (12, 14) has adjustable level equalization means (66, 68, 70) for interacting with a head-side end (20, 24) of the line section arrangement (10), which are constructed in such a manner that, with respect to a current collector contact, in particular a current-collector-contact side of the contact line and/or a current-collecto
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2018
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Applicant: Kummler + Matter AG
    Inventors: Dennis Darra, Simon Geiger, Rolf Staubli
  • Patent number: 10458543
    Abstract: A power-split transmission which is designed to be operated with either first or second deceleration logics. The second deceleration logic has a higher deceleration dynamic than the first deceleration logic, and is designed to disengage an engaged range clutch immediately so as to reduce the transmission ratio by way of a hydrostatic unit with a maximum dynamic. A method of operating the transmission includes: monitoring various vehicle parameters while the vehicle is operated with the first deceleration logic; detecting that at least one set limit value has been exceeded while the vehicle operated with the first deceleration logic; activating the second deceleration logic, to immediately disengage an engaged range clutch; reducing a transmission ratio to a maximum using the hydrostatic unit, the hydrostatic unit being displaced with a maximum dynamic; and engaging the range clutch and activating the first deceleration logic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Simon Geiger, Matthias Madlener, Robin Cramer
  • Patent number: 10451123
    Abstract: A reversing method for reversing a travel direction of a working machine with a power-split transmission in which control signals are emitted by a control unit such that a reversing clutch, for the current travel direction, is disengaged and a reversing clutch for the new travel direction is engaged. The reversing clutches are controlled by control variables. If there is a difference between a reference control magnitude and a target control variable, the control variable is adapted. An adapted control signal is emitted, with which the reversing clutches are actuated, and for determining the target control variables for the disengaging and engaging of the reversing clutches, in addition to a translational factor and a rotational factor a load-dependent factor is determined and processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Simon Geiger, Matthias Madlener
  • Patent number: 10274080
    Abstract: During a shift from a first driving range to a second driving range in a continuously variable power-split transmission having a continuously variable branch and a mechanical branch, in which during the range shift, the synchronous rotation speed is kept constant, the range shift is discontinued if a predefined threshold of at least one driving requirement is exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Simon Geiger, Matthias Madlener
  • Patent number: 10066745
    Abstract: A power-split transmission device for a vehicle, which connects a drive engine to a drive output, having a hydrostatic unit for continuous adjustment of the transmission ratio at a transmission unit, and two range clutches that alternately operate for respectively associated driving ranges with different transmission ratios. A control unit, during regular vehicle deceleration, implements the driving range change from a first range, with higher transmission ratios, to a second range, with lower transmission ratios, by switching from the first to the second range clutch in accordance with a synchronous point dependent deceleration control logic. In the special case of an unexpected increase of the deceleration dynamic at the beginning of an already initiated driving range change from the first to the second driving range, the control unit immediately forces the change by bypassing the synchronous point dependent deceleration control logic when other boundary conditions are fulfilled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Simon Geiger, Matthias Madlener, Sven Bieber
  • Publication number: 20170211695
    Abstract: A power-split transmission which is designed to be operated with either first or second deceleration logics. The second deceleration logic has a higher deceleration dynamic than the first deceleration logic, and is designed to disengage an engaged range clutch immediately so as to reduce the transmission ratio by way of a hydrostatic unit with a maximum dynamic. A method of operating the transmission includes: monitoring various vehicle parameters while the vehicle is operated with the first deceleration logic; detecting that at least one set limit value has been exceeded while the vehicle operated with the first deceleration logic; activating the second deceleration logic, to immediately disengage an engaged range clutch; reducing a transmission ratio to a maximum using the hydrostatic unit, the hydrostatic unit being displaced with a maximum dynamic; and engaging the range clutch and activating the first deceleration logic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Inventors: Simon GEIGER, Matthias MADLENER, Robin CRAMER
  • Publication number: 20170211694
    Abstract: A power-split transmission device for a vehicle, which connects a drive engine to a drive output, having a hydrostatic unit for continuous adjustment of the transmission ratio at a transmission unit, and two range clutches that alternately operate for respectively associated driving ranges with different transmission ratios. A control unit, during regular vehicle deceleration, implements the driving range change from a first range, with higher transmission ratios, to a second range, with lower transmission ratios, by switching from the first to the second range clutch in accordance with a synchronous point dependent deceleration control logic. In the special case of an unexpected increase of the deceleration dynamic at the beginning of an already initiated driving range change from the first to the second driving range, the control unit immediately forces the change by bypassing the synchronous point dependent deceleration control logic when other boundary conditions are fulfilled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Inventors: Simon GEIGER, Matthias MADLENER, Sven BIEBER
  • Publication number: 20170198765
    Abstract: A reversing method for reversing a travel direction of a working machine with a power-split transmission in which control signals are emitted by a control unit such that a reversing clutch, for the current travel direction, is disengaged and a reversing clutch for the new travel direction is engaged. The reversing clutches are controlled by control variables. If there is a difference between a reference control magnitude and a target control variable, the control variable is adapted. An adapted control signal is emitted, with which the reversing clutches are actuated, and for determining the target control variables for the disengaging and engaging of the reversing clutches, in addition to a translational factor and a rotational factor a load-dependent factor is determined and processed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: Simon GEIGER, Matthias MADLENER
  • Publication number: 20170198811
    Abstract: During a shift from a first driving range to a second driving range in a continuously variable power-split transmission having a continuously variable branch and a mechanical branch, in which during the range shift, the synchronous rotation speed is kept constant, the range shift is discontinued if a predefined threshold of at least one driving requirement is exceeded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Inventors: Simon GEIGER, Matthias MADLENER
  • Patent number: 7770974
    Abstract: A height adjustment device of a vehicle seat comprises a control valve means for governing the degree of filling of a compressed air actuator. Following an alteration in the weight to be carried by the compressed air actuator there is a relative switching over movement between a component bearing a control cam slide and a component bearing an actuating member entailing the switch over of the control valve means. The relative switching over movement is a linear movement, the two components bearing the slide and the actuating member being guided for relative sliding linear motion in the direction of the switch over movement. Furthermore a vehicle seat having such a height adjustment device is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Festo AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Helmut Ott, Simon Geiger, Steffen Sailer
  • Publication number: 20080197684
    Abstract: A height adjustment device of a vehicle seat comprises a control valve means for governing the degree of filling of a compressed air actuator. Following an alteration in the weight to be carried by the compressed air actuator there is a relative switching over movement between a component bearing a control cam slide and a component bearing an actuating member entailing the switch over of the control valve means. The relative switching over movement is a linear movement, the two components bearing the slide and the actuating member being guided for relative sliding linear motion in the direction of the switch over movement. Furthermore a vehicle seat having such a height adjustment device is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventors: Helmut Ott, Simon Geiger, Steffen Sailer