Patents by Inventor Stefan Schonhoff

Stefan Schonhoff 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: 8100423
    Abstract: A connector piece for the articulated connection of structural elements of a chassis of a motor vehicle. The connector piece has a main body, formed from at least one metal sheet, which has at least one bearing or joint and includes a housing connected to the main body and an inner part which is fitted within an inside space of the housing and can move relative to the housing. The housing comprises a housing portion that surrounds the inside space and includes at least two sheet-metal strips that are arranged adjacent one another, in a longitudinal direction, and are bent between their ends, in opposite directions transverse to the longitudinal direction, such that the metal strips partially surround the inside space on different sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Jochen Kruse, Frank Budde, Frank Nachbar, Stefan Schönhoff
  • Publication number: 20110221153
    Abstract: A linking rod for a vehicle comprising a basic body (2). The basic body (2) comprises a bearing housing (3) and a joint housing (4) which are spaced apart from one another by a coupling piece (9) of the basic body (2). The bearing housing (3), of the basic body (2). is formed from a first plastic material which is surrounded by an enclosure (7) which is made from a second plastic material that is softer than the first plastic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Bladt, Olaf Beutler, Günter Lohfink, Karl-Walter Palluck, Stefan Loheide, Dirk Lamla, Stefan Schönhoff, Christian Maassmann
  • Publication number: 20100086346
    Abstract: A connector piece for the articulated connection of structural elements of a chassis of a motor vehicle. The connector piece has a main body, formed from at least one metal sheet, which has at least one bearing or joint and includes a housing connected to the main body and an inner part which is fitted within an inside space of the housing and can move relative to the housing. The housing comprises a housing portion that surrounds the inside space and includes at least two sheet-metal strips that are arranged adjacent one another, in a longitudinal direction, and are bent between their ends, in opposite directions transverse to the longitudinal direction, such that the metal strips partially surround the inside space on different sides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Jochen Kruse, Frank Budde, Frank Nachbar, Stefan Schonhoff
  • Patent number: 7334828
    Abstract: A force connection strut (1) of a chassis of a passenger car or utility vehicle is provided for the non-positive connection between a chassis and a wheel carrier, preferably an axle strut or a chassis control arm. An elongated basic body (G) and at least two end-side mount supports (5) are provided for introducing and leading out forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Frank Budde, Jochen Kruse, Stefan Schönhoff
  • Patent number: 7216860
    Abstract: A mount support of a force connection strut is provided manufactured from plastic/metal composite materials for a chassis of a motor vehicle. The force connection strut has an elongated basic body and a sleeve (H) passing through the basic body. The sleeve (H) has a flange (F) on at least one side and is connected to the basic body by extrusion coating with plastic at least at one of its ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Frank Budde, Stefan Schönhoff, Jochen Kruse
  • Patent number: 7192214
    Abstract: A sealing bellows is provided having a jacket (1b) arranged between first and second edges (1a, 1c) of the sealing bellows. The edges (1a, 1c) of the sealing bellows are sealingly in contact with components in the assembled state of the sealing bellows (1). At least a first edge (1a) of the sealing bellows has radially inwardly pointing teeth (3a), which engage a contour of a component or a housing (2) of a ball and socket joint to form a snap connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: ZF Lemörder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Stefan Schönhoff, Frank Budde
  • Patent number: 7159880
    Abstract: A connection strut of a chassis of a passenger car or utility vehicle for the connection between the chassis and the wheel carrier, preferably an axle strut or a chassis control arm, with an elongated basic body and at least two mount supports arranged at the end for introducing and leading out forces. The basic body has a composite between a flat metal insert and a plastic structure forming the rest of the contour. The plastic structure is formed by encasement of the metal insert. The rest of the contour is defined here as the difference between the final contour of the force connection strut and the portion that is formed by the metal insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Frank Budde, Jochen Kruse, Stefan Schönhoff
  • Patent number: 7083199
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a chassis part for connection and force transmission between a vehicle chassis of at least one wheel, consisting of fiber-reinforced plastics or plastic composite systems, preferably for a passenger car or utility vehicle. The present invention is characterized in that at least one means for measuring forces acting on the chassis parts is integrated in the plastic portions of the chassis parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Jürgen Gräber, Jochen Kruse, Joachim Spratte, Stefan Schönhoff
  • Patent number: 7037022
    Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint, preferably for chassis suspensions and/or steering mechanisms of motor vehicles, is presented, which has a ball pivot pin (1), which is accommodated rotatably and tiltably in a joint housing (8) with one of its free ends with a spherical joint area (3). The other free end of the ball pivot pin (1) is fixed to a body part. The ball-and-socket joint has a stop device for limiting the tilting movement of the ball pivot pin (1) in the joint housing (8), which comprises a stop element, which is arranged in the bottom area (11) of the joint housing (8) rotationally symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the sphere and cooperates with the end-side joint area (6) of the ball pivot pin (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Stefan Schönhoff, Markus Fischer
  • Publication number: 20040232629
    Abstract: A sealing bellows is provided having a jacket (1b) arranged between first and second edges (1a, 1c) of the sealing bellows. The edges (1a, 1c) of the sealing bellows are sealingly in contact with components in the assembled state of the sealing bellows (1). At least a first edge (1a) of the sealing bellows has radially inwardly pointing teeth (3a), which engage a contour of a component or a housing (2) of a ball and socket joint to form a snap connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Stefan Schonhoff, Frank Budde
  • Publication number: 20040131418
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to the design of a force connection strut (1) of a chassis of a passenger car or utility vehicle for the non-positive connection between a chassis and a wheel carrier, preferably an axle strut or a chassis control arm, comprising an elongated basic body (G) and at least two end-side mount supports (5) for introducing and leading out forces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventors: Frank Budde, Jochen Kruse, Stefan Schonhoff
  • Publication number: 20040070129
    Abstract: A connection strut of a chassis of a passenger car or utility vehicle for the connection between the chassis and the wheel carrier, preferably an axle strut or a chassis control arm, with an elongated basic body and at least two mount supports arranged at the end for introducing and leading out forces. The basic body has a composite between a flat metal insert and a plastic structure forming the rest of the contour. The plastic structure is formed by encasement of the metal insert. The rest of the contour is defined here as the difference between the final contour of the force connection strut and the portion that is formed by the metal insert.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventors: Frank Budde, Jochen Kruse, Stefan Schonhoff
  • Publication number: 20040045762
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a mount support of a force connection strut manufactured from plastic/metal composite materials for a chassis of a motor vehicle, wherein the force connection strut has an elongated basic body and a sleeve (H) passing through the said basic body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Frank Budde, Stefan Schonhoff, Jochen Kruse
  • Publication number: 20040046380
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a chassis part for connection and force transmission between a vehicle chassis of at least one wheel, consisting of fiber-reinforced plastics or plastic composite systems, preferably for a passenger car or utility vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Jurgen Graber, Jochen Kruse, Joachim Spratte, Stefan Schonhoff
  • Publication number: 20040047677
    Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint, preferably for chassis suspensions and/or steering mechanisms of motor vehicles, is presented, which has a ball pivot pin (1), which is accommodated rotatably and tiltably in a joint housing (8) with one of its free ends with a spherical joint area (3). The other free end of the ball pivot pin (1) is fixed to a body part. The ball-and-socket joint has a stop device for limiting the tilting movement of the ball pivot pin (1) in the joint housing (8), which comprises a stop element, which is arranged in the bottom area (11) of the joint housing (8) rotationally symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the sphere and cooperates with the end-side joint area (6) of the ball pivot pin (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Stefan Schonhoff, Markus Fischer