Patents by Inventor Thomas Kuehnhoefer

Thomas Kuehnhoefer 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: 11565745
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a steering device, more particularly to the provision of electrical steering assistance, having at least one main control unit, which is provided to control, in at least one normal operating state, operation of at least one electric motor, and having at least one auxiliary control unit, which is provided to control, in at least one faulty operating state in which a fault in and/or failure of the main control unit has occurred, operation of the electric motor. According to the disclosure, the main control unit can be operated independently of the auxiliary control unit and the auxiliary control unit is set in the normal operating state to a passive operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Kuehnhoefer, Markus Weber, Stefan Kersten Weber
  • Publication number: 20210086827
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a steering device, more particularly to the provision of electrical steering assistance, having at least one main control unit, which is provided to control, in at least one normal operating state, operation of at least one electric motor, and having at least one auxiliary control unit, which is provided to control, in at least one faulty operating state in which a fault in and/or failure of the main control unit has occurred, operation of the electric motor. According to the disclosure, the main control unit can be operated independently of the auxiliary control unit and the auxiliary control unit is set in the normal operating state to a passive operating mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2018
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Kuehnhoefer, Markus Weber, Stefan Kersten Weber
  • Patent number: 9148079
    Abstract: A method for operating an electric motor which is used as an electric servo drive in an electronic power steering system of a motor vehicle for power assistance and which has a number of magnetic elements and phase windings and is actuated and/or controlled by an electronic control unit of the electronic power steering system, wherein a temperature of at least one magnetic element of the electric motor is continuously determined during the operation of the electric motor by way of a temperature model and wherein, based on the temperature of the at least one magnetic element of the electric motor determined by way of the temperature model, an electrical current flowing in at least one of the phase windings of the electric motor is limited, taking into account a predeterminable limit temperature of the at least one magnetic element of the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Kuehnhoefer, Alexander Krautstrunk
  • Publication number: 20140210394
    Abstract: A method for operating an electric motor which is used as an electric servo drive in an electronic power steering system of a motor vehicle for power assistance and which has a number of magnetic elements and phase windings and is actuated and/or controlled by an electronic control unit of the electronic power steering system, wherein a temperature of at least one magnetic element of the electric motor is continuously determined during the operation of the electric motor by way of a temperature model and wherein, based on the temperature of the at least one magnetic element of the electric motor determined by way of the temperature model, an electrical current flowing in at least one of the phase windings of the electric motor is limited, taking into account a predeterminable limit temperature of the at least one magnetic element of the electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: ZF LENKSYSTEME GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Kuehnhoefer, Alexander Krautstrunk
  • Patent number: 8684128
    Abstract: A steering gear comprises a helical pinion and a helical gear which are mounted in the gear housing and driven by an electric motor, wherein a control unit and a sensor system connected thereto are also disposed in or on the steering gear so as to detect and control the rotor position and/or rotation of the rotor of the electric motor. A section of the shaft of the worm located on the drive side extends in the axial direction and protrudes from the gear housing, wherein the protruding end of the section on the drive side is designed as a rotor shaft of the electric motor, and the control unit and/or the sensor system are disposed on the gear housing. The control unit and the sensor system are preferably disposed on differing sections of the gear housing. This allows a very compact, cost-saving and flexible implementation of the design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Juergen Bieber, Martin Budaker, Thomas Kuehnhoefer
  • Publication number: 20090146522
    Abstract: An electric servomotor for a power-assisted steering system in a vehicle has a stator laminated core having an outer diameter and an active length. In order to provide an electric servomotor for a power-assisted steering system that has an optimum diameter/length ratio and that covers a steering performance range from compact cars to full-size vehicles using a reasonable change in volume, it is provided that, with a constant outer diameter, the ratio of the outer diameter to the active length of the stator laminated core can be varied such that the electric servomotor can be used for power-assisted steering systems for compact cars up to full-size cars and the outer diameter is constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Inventors: Helmut Knoedler, Wilfried Leutner, Joerg Mayer, Michael Ochs, Thomas Kuehnhoefer, Wolfgang Runge
  • Patent number: 7243570
    Abstract: A power-assisted steering with a superimposing gear mechanism enables safe steering behavior independently of the type of transmission used. A mechanical lock is mounted at a part of the transmission, preferably at the screw itself. In the event of a malfunction, this lock acts in addition to the deactivation of an electric motor and reliably prevents it from rotating further in that a locking pin engages elongated hole-shaped grooves. The shape of the grooves has the advantage that the locking pin need not be positioned very precisely. Allowances are thus made for installation tolerances. The development of noise is also reduced since it is very improbable that the locking pin, before it is locked in one of the grooves, would first of all come into contact with an intermediate bridge and thus produce an unpleasant clacking noise. In addition, a diagnostic circuit may be provided which checks the function of the lock before the vehicle is started up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Kuehnhoefer, Rainer Biegert
  • Publication number: 20060162991
    Abstract: A power-assisted steering with a superimposing gear mechanism enables safe steering behavior independently of the type of transmission used. A mechanical lock is mounted at a part of the transmission, preferably at the screw itself. In the event of a malfunction, this lock acts in addition to the deactivation of an electric motor and reliably prevents it from rotating further in that a locking pin engages elongated hole-shaped grooves. The shape of the grooves has the advantage that the locking pin need not be positioned very precisely. Allowances are thus made for installation tolerances. The development of noise is also reduced since it is very improbable that the locking pin, before it is locked in one of the grooves, would first of all come into contact with an intermediate bridge and thus produce an unpleasant clacking noise. In addition, a diagnostic circuit may be provided which checks the function of the lock before the vehicle is started up.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Inventors: Thomas Kuehnhoefer, Rainer Biegert
  • Patent number: 6958558
    Abstract: An electric motor comprises a stator and a rotor which is rotatably mounted in the stator, the stator having an exciter winding which can be energized via connecting contacts, in a stator housing. The connecting contacts are permanently connected to the stator housing, electrical connecting elements which are accessible from the outside in the radial and axial directions being connected to the connecting contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Jürgen Schüle, Thomas Kühnhöfer, Hans Köhnle, Rolf Martin