Patents by Inventor Thomas Degenstein

Thomas Degenstein 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: 10086829
    Abstract: A method is provided to control a power steering device and an adaptive damping system of a motor vehicle. The power steering device makes available a mechanical steering angle range that is limited by steering stops. The adaptive damping system makes available a variable damping force. The damping force of the adaptive damping system is increased and a maximum achievable steering angle is simultaneously increased in case a steering stop is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Degenstein, Marcus-Andre Reul
  • Publication number: 20170043764
    Abstract: A method is provided to control a power steering device and an adaptive damping system of a motor vehicle. The power steering device makes available a mechanical steering angle range that is limited by steering stops. The adaptive damping system makes available a variable damping force. The damping force of the adaptive damping system is increased and a maximum achievable steering angle is simultaneously increased in case a steering stop is reached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Thomas DEGENSTEIN, Marcus-Andre REUL
  • Patent number: 9187122
    Abstract: A motor vehicle includes an adjustable steering assistance. The adjustable steering assistance includes an evaluation unit for evaluating the grip of a road travelled, in which the extent of the steering assistance is variable as a function of the result of the road grip evaluation. The effectiveness of the steering assistance adjustment is due to the fact that the driver is accustom to the hand moment exerted on the steering wheel during steering, conventionally as a fixed relationship to the torque, which for steering the wheels of the motor vehicle has to be exerted thereon. Consequently, the lower the steering resistance the less road grip as a general rule. In that the extent of the steering assistance is varied, a road with less grip can thus be suggested to the driver in order to prompt him to a correspondingly careful driving style.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Degenstein
  • Patent number: 9008911
    Abstract: A method for an electrical limitation of the travel path of a steering gear in a wheeled vehicle, in particular a passenger car, which exhibits a steering drive, is provided. The method includes adjusting the steering gear in a first direction and acquiring a first maximum travel path in the first direction. The method includes prescribing a first limiting value based upon this acquired first maximum travel path and electrically limiting the travel path of the steering gear in the first direction based upon the first limiting value. The first maximum travel path is acquired by the steering drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventor: Thomas Degenstein
  • Patent number: 8985628
    Abstract: An adjusting device for a steering column of a motor vehicle for axial and/or vertical positioning of a steering wheel connected to the steering column is provided. The adjusting device comprises a locking device and an electric switch configured to actuate the locking device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Dirk Ehrlich, Thomas Degenstein
  • Publication number: 20140316655
    Abstract: A motor vehicle including an adjustable steering assistance is disclosed. The adjustable steering assistance includes an evaluation unit for evaluating the grip of a road travelled, in which the extent of the steering assistance is variable as a function of the result of the road grip evaluation. The effectiveness of the steering assistance adjustment is due to the fact that the driver is accustom to the hand moment exerted on the steering wheel during steering, conventionally as a fixed relationship to the torque, which for steering the wheels of the motor vehicle has to be exerted thereon. Consequently, the lower the steering resistance the less road grip as a general rule. In that the extent of the steering assistance is varied, a road with less grip can thus be suggested to the driver in order to prompt him to a correspondingly careful driving style.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Thomas DEGENSTEIN
  • Patent number: 8827128
    Abstract: A cargo carrier system is presented for a motor vehicle with a supporting frame for accommodating at least one object and with an energy supply device for supplying the object accommodated on the supporting frame with electric energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Degenstein, Carsten Glaser, Felice De Rogatis
  • Publication number: 20140074350
    Abstract: A method is provided for diagnosing the chassis frame state of a motor vehicle, which includes, but is not limited to ascertaining at least one diagnostic variable and displaying this diagnostic variable. At least one ascertained and displayed diagnostic variable indicates a balance, track width and/or brake disk planarity state for a chassis frame of the motor vehicle; and/or is determined based on an in particular periodic asymmetry in a steering gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Thomas DEGENSTEIN, Lazhar CHAARI, Olaf SCHAEDLER
  • Publication number: 20130321137
    Abstract: A warning device for a motor vehicle having at least one vehicle aperture, which comprises an electrically movable closure element, is provided. The warning device includes a position detector for detecting a position of the closure element, an evaluation unit for detecting a closing command of the motor vehicle and generating a warning signal if with the closing command an opened position of the closure element is sensed, a warning signal generator for outputting a warning signal, and a function operation device coupled to the evaluation unit for outputting the closing command and on which the warning signal generator is arranged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventor: Thomas DEGENSTEIN
  • Patent number: 8523206
    Abstract: A steering gear of a motor vehicle is fastened to a chassis via several bearing points, each of which includes, but is not limited to bolt penetrating eyes of the chassis and the steering gear and an elastic sleeve. The elastic sleeve of at least a first of the bearing points is accommodated in the eye of the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Gm Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Degenstein, Lutz Uhlenbruch
  • Patent number: 8437934
    Abstract: A temperature and/or wear sensor for brake or clutch devices is designed as a thermocouple in which the conductors (20, 22) that are electrically insulated from each other are arranged inside a friction lining (14) and can be connected to each other so as to be electrically conductive by means of a rotatably mounted brake element (12), clutch element or the like, with which the friction lining can be engaged in order to brake or to depress the clutch (FIG. 1). The conductors can be coupled to an electric oscillating circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: TMD Friction Services GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Degenstein
  • Publication number: 20130042717
    Abstract: An adjusting device for a steering column of a motor vehicle for axial and/or vertical positioning of a steering wheel connected to the steering column is provided. The adjusting device comprises a locking device and an electric switch configured to actuate the locking device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Dirk EHRLICH, Thomas DEGENSTEIN
  • Publication number: 20120319375
    Abstract: A front axle system for a vehicle for receiving a total loading is provided. The front axle system includes a front axle frame element and a steering gear device connected to the front axle frame element. The front axle frame element is configured for receiving a first part of the total loading and the steering gear device is configured for receiving a second, remaining part of the total loading.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Lutz UHLENBRUCH, Thomas DEGENSTEIN
  • Publication number: 20120205413
    Abstract: A cargo carrier system is presented for a motor vehicle with a supporting frame for accommodating at least one object and with an energy supply device for supplying the object accommodated on the supporting frame with electric energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Thomas DEGENSTEIN, Carsten GLASER, Felice De ROGATIS
  • Patent number: 8144003
    Abstract: A brake or clutch lining (10; 12) has a friction lining (22) arranged on a carrier plate (20). For purposes of detecting a critical operating temperature, an electrically conductive material (24) that has a phase-transition temperature that falls within the range of the critical operating temperature of the friction lining to be detected is provided in at least one place in the friction lining (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: TMD Friction Services GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Degenstein, Erik Berger, Andreas Elvenkemper
  • Publication number: 20110169239
    Abstract: A steering gear of a motor vehicle is fastened to a chassis via several bearing points, each of which includes, but is not limited to bolt penetrating eyes of the chassis and the steering gear and an elastic sleeve. The elastic sleeve of at least a first of the bearing points is accommodated in the eye of the chassis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Thomas DEGENSTEIN, Lutz UHLENBRUCH
  • Publication number: 20100013620
    Abstract: A brake or clutch lining (10; 12) has a friction lining (22) arranged on a carrier plate (20). For purposes of detecting a critical operating temperature, an electrically conductive material (24) that has a phase-transition temperature that falls within the range of the critical operating temperature of the friction lining to be detected is provided in at least one place in the friction lining (22).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2007
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: TMD Friction Services GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Degenstein, Andreas Elvenkemper, Erik Berger
  • Publication number: 20100017087
    Abstract: A temperature and/or wear sensor for brake or clutch devices is designed as a thermocouple in which the conductors (20, 22) that are electrically insulated from each other are arranged inside a friction lining (14) and can be connected to each other so as to be electrically conductive by means of a rotatably mounted brake element (12), clutch element or the like, with which the friction lining can be engaged in order to brake or to depress the clutch (FIG. 1). The conductors can be coupled to an electric oscillating circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2007
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: TMD Friction Services GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Degenstein