Patents by Inventor Stephan Rinderknecht

Stephan Rinderknecht 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: 11794567
    Abstract: A hybrid drive device for a motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine includes a first electric motor and a second electric motor. A transmission includes a first partial transmission connected to the first electric motor and a second partial transmission connected to the second electric motor, each being connectable to an output shaft. The internal combustion engine can selectively be uncoupled from the transmission or can be connected in a form-fit manner to the first or the second partial transmission. The first electric motor is connected at a constant gear ratio to a first drive shaft of the first partial transmission, and the second electric motor is connected at a constant gear ratio to a second drive shaft of the second partial transmission. The internal combustion engine can also be connected in a form-fit manner to the output shaft by way of a direct gear-change means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Technische Universität Darmstadt
    Inventors: Stephan Rinderknecht, Jean-Eric Schleiffer, Andreas Viehmann
  • Publication number: 20220041045
    Abstract: A hybrid drive device for a motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine includes a first electric motor and a second electric motor. A transmission includes a first partial transmission connected to the first electric motor and a second partial transmission connected to the second electric motor, each being connectable to an output shaft. The internal combustion engine can selectively be uncoupled from the transmission or can be connected in a form-fit manner to the first or the second partial transmission. The first electric motor is connected at a constant gear ratio to a first drive shaft of the first partial transmission, and the second electric motor is connected at a constant gear ratio to a second drive shaft of the second partial transmission. The internal combustion engine can also be connected in a form-fit manner to the output shaft by way of a direct gear-change means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: Technische Universität Darmstadt
    Inventors: Stephan RINDERKNECHT, Jean-Eric SCHLEIFFER, Andreas VIEHMANN
  • Patent number: 11199257
    Abstract: The invention relates to a drive system, a control device, and a method for controlling a mechanical shifting operation in the drive system. The drive system has at least one first multi-gear transmission, having a first input shaft and a first mechanical shifting means. Torques coming from the first input shaft are transmitted to a drive system output shaft. The torques are produced by an internal combustion engine and/or at least one first electric motor. For the purpose of disengaging a gear of the multi-gear transmission, the first electric motor is connected to the internal combustion engine and operated in a generator operating mode at least at times during the shifting operation, whereby the internal combustion engine is loaded and the first mechanical shifting means is unloaded. The mechanical shifting means is thus free of load or torsion and can be easily disconnected/opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Technische Universität Darmstadt
    Inventors: Stephan Rinderknecht, Ruben König
  • Patent number: 10935464
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method (1) for determining supporting points of a test plan (9) for measuring pre-defined test variables of a test machine on the basis of previously measured operating values (3) of operating variables of at least one field machine during the normal use thereof. In an aggregation step (2), the detected operating values (3) are allocated to categories (4) with regard to at least one selected operating variable, according to a predefined classification rule. Default variables are selected in a default step (5) before or after the aggregation step (2). The default variables form at least one subset of the operating variables. The operating category frequency (7) for each category (4) is determined in a determination step (6) following the aggregation step (2). In a subsequent determination step (8), the supporting points of the test plan (9) are determined on the basis of the operating category frequency (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Technische Universität Darmstadt
    Inventors: Stephan Rinderknecht, Stéphane Foulard, Rafael Fietzek, Arved Esser
  • Publication number: 20190265128
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method (1) for determining supporting points of a test plan (9) for measuring pre-defined test variables of a test machine on the basis of previously measured operating values (3) of operating variables of at least one field machine during the normal use thereof. In an aggregation step (2), the detected operating values (3) are allocated to categories (4) with regard to at least one selected operating variable, according to a predefined classification rule. Default variables are selected in a default step (5) before or after the aggregation step (2). The default variables form at least one subset of the operating variables. The operating category frequency (7) for each category (4) is determined in a determination step (6) following the aggregation step (2). In a subsequent determination step (8), the supporting points of the test plan (9) are determined on the basis of the operating category frequency (7).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Stephan Rinderknecht, Stéphane Foulard, Rafael Fietzek, Arved Esser
  • Publication number: 20190219159
    Abstract: The invention relates to a drive system, a control device, and a method for controlling a mechanical shifting operation in the drive system. The drive system has at least one first multi-gear transmission, having a first input shaft and a first mechanical shifting means. Torques coming from the first input shaft are transmitted to a drive system output shaft. The torques are produced by an internal combustion engine and/or at least one first electric motor. For the purpose of disengaging a gear of the multi-gear transmission, the first electric motor is connected to the internal combustion engine and operated in a generator operating mode at least at times during the shifting operation, whereby the internal combustion engine is loaded and the first mechanical shifting means is unloaded. The mechanical shifting means is thus free of load or torsion and can be easily disconnected/opened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2017
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Stephan RINDERKNECHT, Ruben KÖNIG
  • Publication number: 20180341743
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method (1) for designing and dimensioning a new part (2) of a motor vehicle (3). All of the motor vehicles (5) of a motor vehicle fleet (6) have a reference part (4) with an identical structure, and the reference parts (4) and the new part (2) are of the same component type. Load spectra and damage levels of the reference parts of all the motor vehicles (5) of the motor vehicle fleet (6) are continuously ascertained on the basis of sensor and vehicle state information available in each motor vehicle (5) using specified algorithms. The load spectra and damage levels are stored in a central database (9). A reference stress on a component of the component type is ascertained regularly on the basis of the load spectra and damage levels provided in the central database (9) at a specific point in time for the reference parts (4) of all of the motor vehicles (5) of the vehicle fleet (6). The new part (2) is designed and dimensioned while taking into consideration the reference stress.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Applicant: Technische Universität Darmstadt
    Inventors: Stéphane Foulard, Stephan Rinderknecht, Rafael Fietzek
  • Patent number: 7390283
    Abstract: A process for controlling an automated motor vehicle drive train which has an engine and a transmission, with the step of at least once detecting at least one wear parameter of the transmission during its running performance, the wear parameter representing the wear or the fatigue of at least one component of the transmission. A load limit parameter, which represents the maximum load on the transmission due to the engine, is set as a function of the detected wear parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: GETRAG Getriebe-und Zahnradfabrik Hermann Hagenmeyer GmbH & Cie KG
    Inventor: Stephan Rinderknecht
  • Publication number: 20070167282
    Abstract: What is proposed is a process for controlling an automated motor vehicle drive train which has an engine and a transmission, with the step of at least once detecting at least one wear parameter of the transmission during its running performance, the wear parameter representing the wear or the fatigue of at least one component of the transmission. A load limit parameter, which represents the maximum load on the transmission due to the engine, is set as a function of the detected wear parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Inventor: Stephan Rinderknecht