Patents by Inventor Thomas Stolk

Thomas Stolk 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: 8857392
    Abstract: In a motor vehicle camshaft adjusting device which comprises an open- and/or closed-loop control unit for adjusting the camshaft phase position in a normal operating mode to a temporarily intermittently constant phase position, the open- and/or closed loop control unit has an engine start operating mode in which the camshaft phase position is advanced during opening of the valve so as to provide a valve opening angle range which is smaller than a geometric normal opening angle range based on a crankshaft angle range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Alexander Von Gaisberg-Heifenberg, Thomas Stolk
  • Patent number: 8813701
    Abstract: In a phase adjustment device for a valve drive mechanism of an internal combustion engine, in particular a camshaft adjustment device, with a phase adjustment unit which, for adjusting a phase position in a normal operating mode, comprises a coupling unit for controlling an adjustment gear element by applying a braking force, and with a failsafe adjustment arrangement for setting a defined fail-safe phase position in a fail-safe operating mode, the adjustment unit includes mechanical means for varying the braking force of the coupling unit of the phase adjustment unit for setting the phase angle to a controllable failsafe phase angle position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Markus Lengfeld, Thomas Stolk, Alexander von Gaisberg-Helfenberg
  • Publication number: 20140224199
    Abstract: In a valve drive train device for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle including at least one cam element which is mounted in a rotationally and axially displaceable manner and is provided for actuating at least one gas exchange valve, and at least one gate element which has at least one switch gate for valve lift switching, the switch gate being provided for converting a rotational movement of the cam element into an axial displacement movement of the cam element, a support element is connected to the cam element in a rotationally fixed manner and has at least one limiting structure for limiting the axial displacement movement of the cam element and the gate element is mounted in a rotationally fixed manner but is axially movable for the valve lift switching,
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2014
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: DAIMLER AG
    Inventors: Thomas STOLK, Alexander VON GAISBERG-HELFENBERG
  • Publication number: 20140202410
    Abstract: In a camshaft adjusting device of a motor vehicle internal combustion engine which has an electromagnetic braking unit that includes a stationary actuator having a first braking surface and an axially spaced second braking surface which is movable relative to the first braking surface, the braking unit further includes a brake disk which is functionally separate from the stationary actuator and is at least partially situated between the spaced braking surfaces of the actuator and connected to an adjusting input of the camshaft adjusting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicant: DAIMLER AG
    Inventors: Thomas STOLK, Alexander VON GAISBERG-HELFENBERG
  • Publication number: 20140150743
    Abstract: In a cam element for a valve drive train device of an internal combustion engine having at least one cam comprising at least two partial cams which are arranged next to one another and have a shared base circle phase in at least one angular camshaft range for valve lift switching by displacing their axial position with respect to a cam follower from one of the partial cams to another of the partial cams, the partial cams are angularly displaced in an axially overlapping arrangement. Also, between adjacent partial cams, a circular undercut is formed which has a center that is slightly offset from the rotational axis of the cam element so as to facilitate a switch over of valve actuation from one to another of the adjacent partial cams.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: DAIMLER AG
    Inventors: Michael KUJAS, Thomas STOLK, Alexander VON GAISBERG-HELFENBERG
  • Publication number: 20140102389
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine valve drive device having at least one switch gate for valve lift switching by converting a rotation of at least a first and a second cam element into an axial movement by first and second actuators provided for axially displacing the first cam element and the second cam element in a first switching direction via an operative connection of the first actuator with the switch gate and the second actuator provided for axially displacing the second cam element in the same switching direction via an operative connection with the switch gate, the device including a control unit controlling the axial displacement of the first and second cam elements in the same switching direction under the control unit by actuating the first and second actuators at the same time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2013
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: DAIMLER AG
    Inventors: Thomas Stolk, Alexander VON GAISBERG-HELFENBERG
  • Publication number: 20140020642
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine valve drive arrangement having cam elements which are supported on a camshaft so as to be axially displaceable and having switch gates which are coupled to the cam elements and have gate tracks with track segments and switching segments for displaceing the cam elements, the track segments and the switching segments are formed, at least in part, in partial areas of the switch gates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: DAIMLER AG
    Inventors: Thomas STOLK, Alexander VON GAISBERG-HELFENBERG, Stephan ZENTNER
  • Patent number: 8622035
    Abstract: In a valve drive control device, in particular for an internal combustion engine, for controlling the position of a cam element on a camshaft, the valve drive comprises at least one control armature element and a control element connected to the control armature element for engagement with a control gate of the cam element for controlling axial positioning of the cam element on the camshaft. The valve drive control device has a coupling unit which is provided to couple the control armature element and the control element movably to each other with at least one degree of freedom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Jens Meintschel, Thomas Stolk, Alexander von Gaisberg-Helfenberg
  • Patent number: 8601990
    Abstract: In a valve operating device for an internal combustion engine with at least one actuating device which is provided to adjust an axially displaceable cam element by means of at least one slotted guide track, the valve operating device comprises a safety unit for moving the axially displaceable cam element in at least one operating mode into a defined basic safety position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Jens Meintschel, Thomas Stolk, Alexander von Gaisberg-Helfenberg
  • Publication number: 20130306014
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine a valve actuation control arrangement is provided, which has at least three independently axially displaceable cam elements and a switch gate which has at least one continuous gate track for displacing the at least three cam elements sequentially one after the other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: DAIMLER AG
    Inventors: Thomas Stolk, Alexander Von Gaisberg-Helfenberg
  • Patent number: 8474420
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine for a motor vehicle, comprising a crankcase and a crankshaft accommodated therein, and a cylinder housing including at least one cylinder with a cylinder head, the cylinder housing with the cylinder head is supported directly on the crankshaft via eccentric elements which are pivotable for adjusting a position of the cylinder housing with the cylinder head relative to the crankshaft with the crankcase (12) for changing the compression ratio of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Thomas Stolk, Alexander Von Gaisberg-Helfenberg
  • Patent number: 8474424
    Abstract: In a valve drive train device, particularly of an internal combustion engine, having an actuating device provided to displace at least one first axially displaceable cam element using a shifting gate, the actuating device is designed for switching the axially displaceable first cam element into the various switching positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Jens Meintschel, Thomas Stolk, Alexander von Gaisberg-Helfenberg
  • Patent number: 8474422
    Abstract: In a camshaft unit, particularly of an internal combustion engine, comprising a camshaft connected to a drive unit to be driven thereby, a phase displacement unit including an actuating gear and a control unit with a rotor and a stator unit in the form of a brake element for adjusting a phase relation between the drive unit and the camshaft, and a bearing device for supporting part of the control unit, the bearing device is designed to accommodate radial tolerances between the stator element and the rotor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Jens Meintschel, Thomas Stolk, Alexander von Gaisberg-Helfenberg, Richard Jakobi
  • Publication number: 20130055976
    Abstract: In a phase adjustment device for a valve drive mechanism of an internal combustion engine, in particular a camshaft adjustment device, with a phase adjustment unit which, for adjusting a phase position in a normal operating mode, comprises a coupling unit for controlling an adjustment gear element by applying a braking force, and with a failsafe adjustment arrangement for setting a defined fail-safe phase position in a fail-safe operating mode, the adjustment unit includes mechanical means for varying the braking force of the coupling unit of the phase adjustment unit for setting the phase angle to a controllable failsafe phase angle position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Inventors: Markus Lengfeld, Thomas Stolk, Alexander von Gaisberg-Helfenberg
  • Patent number: 8387579
    Abstract: In a valve drive train arrangement for an internal combustion engine having a camshaft with a cam element axially displaceable supported on the camshaft and having a stop for limiting the axial movement of the cam element, the stop has at least one stop element extending radially from the camshaft for engagement with the cam element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Thomas Stolk, Alexander von Gaisberg-Helfenberg, Jens Meintschel
  • Patent number: 8353264
    Abstract: In a valve drive device, especially for an internal combustion engine including a camshaft with a cam element which is axially movably supported on the camshaft but in a rotationally fixed manner, the cam element includes a gate structure and an actuation device is provided with at least one shift element for engagement with the gate arrangement for axially displacing the cam element and the shift element has a rotationally asymmetrical basic shape in order to follow the gate structure when placed in engagement therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Jens Meintschel, Thomas Stolk, Alexander Von Gaisberg-Helfenberg
  • Patent number: 8347838
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine valve drive train switching arrangement with a switching unit, the switching unit has at least one actuating unit with at least two switching members and at least one switching device for actuating the two switching members independently in an at least partial chronological offset, so as to perform a first switching process based on a first signal and then a second switching process, independently of an electronic evaluation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Jens Meintschel, Thomas Stolk, Alexander von Gaisberg-Helfenberg
  • Patent number: 8347837
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine valve drive train switching arrangement with a switching unit, the switching unit includes at least two control structure arranged at adjacent ends of at least two switching devices of the actuating units and an actuating unit cooperating with at least one control track formed by the switching devices of the actuating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Jens Meintschel, Thomas Stolk, Alexander von Gaisberg-Helfenberg
  • Patent number: 8307795
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine valve drive train switching device, at least one safety device is provided for preventing an unscheduled switching of a valve train switching unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Jens Meintschel, Thomas Stolk, Alexander von Gaisberg-Helfenberg
  • Patent number: 8307797
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine valve drive train shifting device including a camshaft having at least two shifting units arranged on the camshaft in spaced relationship, at least one coupling unit is provided interconnecting the at least two shifting units for shifting purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Jens Meintschel, Thomas Stolk, Alexander Von Gaisberg-Helfenberg