Patents by Inventor Thomas Adelmann

Thomas Adelmann 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: 8387766
    Abstract: A wet clutch arrangement, particularly a wet plate clutch or lockup clutch including a first friction face formation coupled with a housing arrangement for rotation around an axis of rotation and a second friction face formation coupled with an output member for rotation around the axis of rotation, and a preferably ring-shaped pressing piston. The pressing piston, together with the housing arrangement, defines a pressure fluid space and is movable in direction of the axis of rotation through a change in fluid pressure in the pressure fluid space for influencing the frictional interaction between the friction face formations. An operant fluid application surface of the pressing piston is in the range of 15000 mm2 to 25000 mm2 for generating a force acting upon the pressing piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Gregor Sueck, Jürgen Dacho, Thomas Adelmann
  • Publication number: 20100096231
    Abstract: A wet clutch arrangement, particularly a wet plate clutch or lockup clutch including a first friction face formation coupled with a housing arrangement for rotation around an axis of rotation and a second friction face formation coupled with an output member for rotation around the axis of rotation, and a preferably ring-shaped pressing piston. The pressing piston, together with the housing arrangement, defines a pressure fluid space and is movable in direction of the axis of rotation through a change in fluid pressure in the pressure fluid space for influencing the frictional interaction between the friction face formations. An operant fluid application surface of the pressing piston is in the range of 15000 mm2 to 25000 mm2 for generating a force acting upon the pressing piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: ZF Freidrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Gregor Sueck, Jürgen Dacho, Thomas Adelmann
  • Patent number: 7588130
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic clutch device includes a pump wheel, a housing connecting the pump wheel to a drive, a turbine wheel connected to a takeoff, the turbine wheel being located in the housing and cooperating with the pump wheel to form a hydrodynamic circuit, and a bridging clutch located in the housing and having a piston located between the hydrodynamic circuit and a pressure space. The piston is movable between an engaged position and a released position. At least one through opening in the piston allows an exchange of clutch fluid between the hydrodynamic circuit and the pressure space regardless of the position of the piston and a non-return valve allows only flow from the hydrodynamic circuit to the pressure space when the clutch is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Michael Heuler, Jürgen Ackermann, Thomas Adelmann, Christoph Gajda
  • Patent number: 7478713
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic clutch device has at least one pump wheel, connected to a drive by way of a clutch housing, and a turbine wheel, connected to a takeoff, to form a hydrodynamic circuit. The device also has a bridging clutch with at least one piston, which can shift between a released position and an engaged position, and at least one friction surface acting between this piston and an adjacent support to connect the drive to the takeoff. When the piston is in the released position, the bridging clutch allows the hydrodynamic circuit to be used to transmit at least most of the torque between the drive and takeoff, whereas, when the piston is in the engaged position, the bridging clutch produces a bypass around the hydrodynamic circuit for the transmission of torque. The barrier clutch cooperates with at least one pressure barrier installed between the hydrodynamic circuit and the pressure space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Jürgen Ackermann, Thomas Adelmann, Christoph Gajda
  • Publication number: 20060207853
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic clutch device has at least one pump wheel, connected to a drive by way of a clutch housing, and a turbine wheel, connected to a takeoff, to form a hydrodynamic circuit. The device also has a bridging clutch with at least one piston, which can shift between a released position and an engaged position, and at least one friction surface acting between this piston and an adjacent support to connect the drive to the takeoff. When the piston is in the released position, the bridging clutch allows the hydrodynamic circuit to be used to transmit at least most of the torque between the drive and takeoff, whereas, when the piston is in the engaged position, the bridging clutch produces a bypass around the hydrodynamic circuit for the transmission of torque. The barrier clutch cooperates with at least one pressure barrier installed between the hydrodynamic circuit and the pressure space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Publication date: September 21, 2006
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Jurgen Ackermann, Thomas Adelmann, Christoph Gajda
  • Publication number: 20060207851
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic clutch device includes a pump wheel; a housing connecting the pump wheel to a drive; a turbine wheel connected to a takeoff, the turbine wheel being located in the housing and cooperating with the pump wheel to form a hydrodynamic circuit; and a bridging clutch located in the housing and having a piston located between the hydrodynamic circuit and a pressure space, the piston being movable between an engaged position, wherein the drive transmits torque to the takeoff via the bridging clutch, and a released position, wherein the drive transmits torque to the takeoff via the hydrodynamic circuit. A first pressure medium line supplies clutch fluid to the hydrodynamic circuit, and a second pressure medium line supplies clutch fluid to the pressure space. At least one through opening in the piston allows an exchange of clutch fluid between the hydrodynamic circuit and the pressure space regardless of the position of the piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2006
    Publication date: September 21, 2006
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Michael Heuler, Jurgen Ackermann, Thomas Adelmann, Christoph Gajda
  • Publication number: 20060207852
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic clutch device has at least one pump wheel, connected to a drive by way of a clutch housing, and a turbine wheel, connected to a takeoff, to form a hydrodynamic circuit. The device also has a bridging clutch with at least one piston, which can shift between a released position and an engaged position, and at least one friction surface acting between this piston and an adjacent support to connect the drive to the takeoff. When the piston is in the released position, the bridging clutch allows the hydrodynamic circuit to be used to transmit at least most of the torque between the drive and takeoff, whereas, when the piston is in the engaged position, the bridging clutch produces a bypass around the hydrodynamic circuit for the transmission of torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Publication date: September 21, 2006
    Inventor: Thomas Adelmann
  • Publication number: 20050178751
    Abstract: When laser beam welding two or more work pieces, the weld seam is usually visible on the work piece that is farthest from the laser beam, on the side of this work piece away from the laser beam. If this side is in an exposed area, then it must be reworked, which is expensive. The task of the present invention therefore consists of providing a method and a device for laser beam welding, with which a laser-welded seam can be formed without being so noticeable. The task is solved by determining the critical energy input per area unit and time unit into the work piece to be welded, above which an appearance of the welded seam to a degree exceeding a predetermined level will occur on the side away from the laser beam of the work piece that is farthest removed from the laser beam, and that the laser beam is controlled or regulated in such a way that the critical energy input per area unit and time unit is not exceeded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2004
    Publication date: August 18, 2005
    Inventors: Thomas Adelmann, Wolfgang Becker, Markus Beck, Daniel Zauner
  • Publication number: 20050166538
    Abstract: The invention concerns a construction component (1) profiled using roller profiling, with a profile cross-section changing in the longitudinal extent, wherein the profiled construction component includes a flange (4). The construction component having this shape is rigid and particularly easy to integrate into the vehicle body shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2004
    Publication date: August 4, 2005
    Inventors: Thomas Adelmann, Alexander Egidi, Karl-Heinz Fueller, Guenter Rostek