Patents by Inventor Steffen Hertrich

Steffen Hertrich 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: 8166934
    Abstract: A locking and rotation angle device for locking and setting maximum rotational adjustability of a drive part fixed to the crankshaft and a driven part fixed to the camshaft of a camshaft adjuster. The driven part is pivotably adjusted to the drive part, which has a locking bar received in the drive or driven part, a locking bar member formed in the respectively other part, and a rotation angle limiting member formed in the correspondingly other part. Limiting wall sections serve as stops for the locking bar for adjusting a maximum rotational adjustability. The locking bar member, rotation angle limiting member, and locking bar are disposed such that the locking bar is displaced via the displacement mechanism into a locking position, engaging into the locking bar member, and into an unlocking position, in which it is released by the locking bar member and engages in the rotation angle limiting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Steffen Hertrich
  • Patent number: 7874273
    Abstract: A camshaft adjuster (1), in which an adjustment of the camshaft adjuster is limited by a limiting element (11) is provided. The limiting element (11) is connected by an eccentric to the associated component (3), in particular, to an inner rotor. By use of an eccentric adjustment of the limiting element, the position of the limiting element in the peripheral direction can be adapted according to the production conditions within the tolerance range. In this way, the mounting of the camshaft adjuster is simplified and the achievable accuracy of the limiting position is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Steffen Hertrich, Lothar Schmitt
  • Publication number: 20100101516
    Abstract: A locking and rotation angle device for locking and setting maximum rotational adjustability of a drive part fixed to the crankshaft and a driven part fixed to the camshaft of a camshaft adjuster. The driven part is pivotably adjusted to the drive part, which has a locking bar received in the drive or driven part, a locking bar member formed in the respectively other part, and a rotation angle limiting member formed in the correspondingly other part. Limiting wall sections serve as stops for the locking bar for adjusting a maximum rotational adjustability. The locking bar member, rotation angle limiting member, and locking bar are disposed such that the locking bar is displaced via the displacement mechanism into a locking position, engaging into the locking bar member, and into an unlocking position, in which it is released by the locking bar member and engages in the rotation angle limiting member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventor: Steffen Hertrich
  • Publication number: 20080236528
    Abstract: A camshaft adjuster (1), in which an adjustment of the camshaft adjuster is limited by a limiting element (11) is provided. The limiting element (11) is connected by an eccentric to the associated component (3), in particular, to an inner rotor. By use of an eccentric adjustment of the limiting element, the position of the limiting element in the peripheral direction can be adapted according to the production conditions within the tolerance range. In this way, the mounting of the camshaft adjuster is simplified and the achievable accuracy of the limiting position is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventors: Steffen Hertrich, Lothar Schmitt
  • Patent number: 6182626
    Abstract: A lever-type cam follower for a valve drive of an internal combustion engine for operating at least one gas exchange valve, includes a main body exhibiting a substantially U-shaped configuration and comprised of two spaced-apart side walls extending in a longitudinal direction and a cross member interconnecting the side walls. The cross member defines a valve-proximate side which includes a substantially planar bearing surface for receiving a gas exchange valve. In addition, the cross member is provided with a passageway for conduction of lubricant to a contact zone of the gas exchange valve upon the bearing surface, whereby the passageway is disposed outside the contact zone but in immediate proximity thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: INA Wälzlager Schaeffler oHG
    Inventors: Hubert Geus, Steffen Hertrich
  • Patent number: 6021750
    Abstract: A finger lever (1) is made as a sheet metal part without chip removal and, seen in transverse cross-section, it has a U-shaped profile opening downwards. An upper crosswall of this finger lever (1) comprises an opening (10) of essentially rectangular shape as viewed from above, a roller (3) which can be contacted by a cam (6) being arranged in the opening (10). Side walls (8 and 9) which extend downwards from the crosswall (7) receive a pin (5) which serves to mount the roller (3). Upper edges (11 and 12) of the side walls (8 and 9) have a convex shape. The rigidity of such a finger lever (1) is increased by the fact that the vertical extent of the side walls is increased to such an extent that the roller (3) is situated entirely within this vertical extent of the side walls (8 and 9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: Ina Walzlager Schaffler oHG
    Inventor: Steffen Hertrich
  • Patent number: 5598815
    Abstract: A roller lever (1) of a casting material configured as a finger lever for a valve drive of an internal combustion engine and comprising a first end portion (2) and a second end portion (4) connected to each other by side walls (7, 8) whose central portions (6) define a free space (9) in which a rotatably mounted supporting roller (10) is guided, said side walls (7, 8) comprising, in a region of the supporting roller (10), circular ring-shaped running surfaces (13, 14) facing the free space (9), the roller lever (1) further comprising a mold parting line (15) resulting from manufacture in a casting mold having a mold parting, characterized in that the mold parting line (15) between two halves of the casting mold extends outside of the running surface (13, 14) along a peripheral contour (16) of the running surfaces (13, 14) and a roller lever of a casting material configured as a rocker arm for a valve drive of an internal combustion engine, one end region of the roller lever being a fork-shaped region for rece
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Assignee: Ina Walzlager Schaeffler KG
    Inventor: Steffen Hertrich
  • Patent number: 4969858
    Abstract: A tensioning device for belts, chains and the like, particularly for the camshaft drive of an internal combustion engine, the device comprising a tension pulley mounted on a movable carrier and a control element by which, when heating occurs, the carrier can be moved by an actuating member in the slackening direction of the belt against the action of a pressure spring, the control element comprising a hollow cylindrical sleeve and a pressure piston arranged therein for longitudinal displacement on whose part lying outside the sleeve a pressure member with a slanting contact surface forming an acute angle with the piston axis is fitted, the contact surface being in contact with a corresponding contact surface of the carrier of the tension pulley for increasing the working reliability of the control element so that automatic adjustment of a defined belt pretension is effected during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1990
    Assignee: INA Walzlager Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Steffen Hertrich, Dieter Goppelt
  • Patent number: 4902268
    Abstract: A tensioning device for belts, chains and the like particularly for the camshaft drive of an internal combustion engine, with a tension pulley supported on a movable carrier, with a control element, by which in the case of heating, the carrier can be moved via an actuating element against the action of a pressure spring in the slackening direction of the belt characterized in that, the control element consists of a hollow cylindrical sleeve closed at the one end by a bottom and on the other end has a flange extending radially inwards, against which from the inside a washer abuts, which in its center receives a longitudinally movable and sealed pressure piston, in the annular hollow space between the bore of the sleeve and the pressure piston, the pressure spring is arranged whereby it is supported on one hand on the washer and on the other hand on the pressure piston, between the bottom and the pressure piston, whose end face is at a distance from the bottom, a further pressure spring is arranged which with l
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Assignee: INA Walzlager Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Steffen Hertrich, Dieter Goppelt
  • Patent number: 4854922
    Abstract: A tensioning device for belts, chains and similar components especially for the camshaft drive of an internal combustion engine comprising a tension roller mounted on a movable support and a control element by which the support can be moved by an actuating mechanism in the relaxing direction of the belt against the action of a pressure spring when the control element gets heated, characterized in that the control element has a cavity for receiving a pressure liquid whose volume varies as a function of the temperature, the cavity being closed by a membrane connected to the actuating mechanism which operates dependably for long periods of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1989
    Assignee: INA Walzlager Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Steffen Hertrich, Dieter Goppelt
  • Patent number: 4800851
    Abstract: A hydraulic play compensating element (1) for a valve control mechanism in internal combustion engines comprising an outer piston (4) closed on one end and insertable for displacement in the longitudinal direction in a bore (2) of a structural element (3) of the valve drive and which guides an inner piston (5) for longitudinal displacement with slight play in a longitudinal bore wherein both pistons encompass a high pressure chamber (6) therebetween which communicates via a check valve (7) arranged in the inner piston with an oil reservoir (8) provided in the inner piston (5), and wherein the inner piston (5) is supported at its end facing away from the pressure chamber by a disc (9) which is fixed in the bore (2) of the structural element (3) of the valve drive, characterized in that the disc (9) engages the bore (16) of the inner piston (5) with radially resilient clamping projections (15) upon contacting the end of the inner piston (5) facing away from the pressure chamber (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 31, 1989
    Assignee: INA Walzlager Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Steffen Hertrich, Friedrich Ness, Charles Knorr
  • Patent number: 4782799
    Abstract: A self-adjusting hydraulic valve tappet arranged in a guide bore of a cylinder head of an internal combustion engine and being contacted at one end face of the valve tappet by a cam and bearing with a second end face against the end of a valve stem, the tappet comprising a cup-shaped housing comprised of a hollow cylindrical wall closed at one end by an end member against the outside of which the cam abuts and a cylindrical guide sleeve concentric with the cylindrical wall and surrounded by an external oil reservoir and in which the play compensating element is guided for longitudinal movement and abuts at its end against the valve stem characterized in that the valve tappet is comprised of three main structural elements of(a) the outer metallic cup-shaped housing (1)(b) a polymeric inner element (4,31,32) accommodated therein defining the guide sleeve and forming the external oil reservoir (17) together with the cup-shaped housing (1) and(c) the self-adjusting play compensating element (7) guided for longitu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Assignee: INA Walzlager Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Dieter Goppelt, Dieter Schmidt, Steffen Hertrich, Jurgen Rabe
  • Patent number: 4603923
    Abstract: An inner race for a swashplate mechanism comprising an inner race having on its outer surface a ball groove extending at an angle to its longitudinal axis, and an outer race surrounding the inner race and having a ball groove formed in its bore, and a ring of balls rolling in the grooves of the two races characterized in that the inner race is formed as a tubular sheet-metal element with a ball groove formed therein without metal removal and having a hub bush in its bore to receive a shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1986
    Assignee: INA Walzlager Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Horst Doppling, Steffen Hertrich, Walter Poschl, Joachim Ritter, Karl Sill