Patents by Inventor Theo Heep

Theo Heep 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: 7384053
    Abstract: A system for rolling angle reduction in a motor vehicle includes a stabilizer (10) and a piston/cylinder unit (12) coupled to one end of the stabilizer (10). The cylinder (14) of the piston/cylinder unit (12) is mounted in a hollow joint (24) so as to be swivellable in several directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Boecker, Theo Heep
  • Patent number: 7367743
    Abstract: A ball joint with a housing wherein the housing has a weld section, which allows it to be welded to a chassis component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2008
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Bernhardt, Theo Heep, Ulrich Mette
  • Publication number: 20060153632
    Abstract: A ball joint with a housing wherein the housing has a weld section, which allows it to be welded to a chassis component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2006
    Publication date: July 13, 2006
    Inventors: Peter Bernhardt, Theo Heep, Ulrich Mette
  • Patent number: 6547267
    Abstract: The subject of the present invention is an axle system for the articulated arrangement of vehicle axles in motor vehicles, comprising an axle strut body (1) and at least one joint body (2), with said axle strut body (1) having recesses (7, 8) that are formed in the end regions (5, 6) to receive the joint body (2). To create an axle system that can be produced cost-effectively and without additional work steps and that has a low rate of wear even under high dynamic and static loads, the present invention proposes that the axle strut body (1) and the joint bodies (2) each be made as a one-piece closed hollow section, with the joint bodies (2) being pivot type and set into the recesses of the axle strut body (1) in a form-fit and/or friction-locked manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: TRW Fahrwerksysteme GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Theo Heep
  • Patent number: 6164829
    Abstract: To provide a simple and quality improving manufacturing process for a bearing shell, particularly for rotatable and, to a limited extent, tiltable support of a ball pivot in a joint housing of a ball-and-socket joint comprising a one-piece ball socket (1) made of plastic, in which a ball above and below its equatorial plane (6) is supportable in form-fit manner at least in a spherical zone (7) along the inner surface (3) of the ball socket (1), it is proposed to provide the ball socket (1), which has a closed lateral surface (8), with elastically deformable segments (2) extending substantially meridionally in axial direction. Furthermore proposed is a ball-and-socket joint with a bearing shell (1) formed in this manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: TRW Fahrwerksysteme GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Frank Wenzel, Sven Helgi Orend, Theo Heep
  • Patent number: 5778731
    Abstract: In order to specify a rack-and-pinion gear having a gearbox case, in a drill hole of which is guided a steering rack (6) making contact via a pinion arranged in a pinion housing area (3), which is economical and simple to construct, does not have a tendency to chatter and guarantees an improved sealing with simultaneous simplification of the housing construction, it is proposed that the drill hole (7) be enlarged in an eccentric sense in the area where the pinion and steering rack mesh and for a wedge bearing element (10), substantially in the form of a sleeve, having at least two sleeve sections (11,12) located in succession in an axial sense and developed to be eccentric to each other, to be inserted in the meshing area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventor: Theo Heep
  • Patent number: 5611635
    Abstract: The invention pertains to a ball joint comprising a housing (1) provided with a cylindrical receptacle opening (1a) and a gudgeon (2) arranged in a ball socket (3) made of plastic such that it is able to rotate and pivot within a limited range, wherein the outer surface (3b) of the ball socket that corresponds with the inner diameter of the receptacle opening (1a) is, after the assembly process, fixed in the radial direction and secured in the axial direction by means of annular shoulders (3c,4a), one of which (3c) is situated on an annular flange that surrounds the opening (3a) of the ball socket (3) on the side of the gudgeon. In order to ensure a secure, i.e., large-surface, fixing of the ball socket (3) on the housing (1) in the axial direction despite a simplified manufacture, the annular shoulder (4a) that cooperates with the upper side of the housing (1) is arranged on a ring (4) connected with the ball socket (3), preferably in an inseparable manner by means of ultrasonic welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1997
    Assignee: TRW Fahrwerksysteme GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Hans-Joachim Schutt, Lothar Broszat, Theo Heep, Wolfgang Prickler