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: 11565745Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 28, 2018Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Thomas Kuehnhoefer, Markus Weber, Stefan Kersten Weber
-
Publication number: 20210086827Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2018Publication date: March 25, 2021Inventors: Thomas Kuehnhoefer, Markus Weber, Stefan Kersten Weber
-
Patent number: 9148079Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 30, 2013Date of Patent: September 29, 2015Assignee: Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbHInventors: Thomas Kuehnhoefer, Alexander Krautstrunk
-
Publication number: 20140210394Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2013Publication date: July 31, 2014Applicant: ZF LENKSYSTEME GMBHInventors: Thomas Kuehnhoefer, Alexander Krautstrunk
-
Patent number: 8684128Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 18, 2013Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbHInventors: Juergen Bieber, Martin Budaker, Thomas Kuehnhoefer
-
Publication number: 20090146522Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2008Publication date: June 11, 2009Inventors: Helmut Knoedler, Wilfried Leutner, Joerg Mayer, Michael Ochs, Thomas Kuehnhoefer, Wolfgang Runge
-
Patent number: 7243570Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 29, 2005Date of Patent: July 17, 2007Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbHInventors: Thomas Kuehnhoefer, Rainer Biegert
-
Publication number: 20060162991Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2005Publication date: July 27, 2006Inventors: Thomas Kuehnhoefer, Rainer Biegert
-
Patent number: 6958558Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 10, 2002Date of Patent: October 25, 2005Assignee: ZF Lenksysteme GmbHInventors: Jürgen Schüle, Thomas Kühnhöfer, Hans Köhnle, Rolf Martin