Patents by Inventor Thomas Thein

Thomas Thein 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: 10400845
    Abstract: A seal guide unit for guiding and sealing a piston rod of a vibration damper having a first guide element and a second guide element fixedly connected to the first guide element and arranged coaxial to the first guide element, and a radially moveable piston rod seal arrangement arranged coaxially between the two guide elements and is at least indirectly surrounded in circumferential direction by at least one guide element, including a defined radial annular gap, and comes in at least indirect axial contact with at least one guide element. The piston rod seal arrangement includes a piston rod seal and a sliding element which encloses the piston rod seal in circumferential direction and axially limits the piston rod seal at least on one side. The sliding element has a lower friction coefficient than parts of the seal guide unit adjoin the piston rod seal arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Thomas Thein, Stefan Liehmann, Wolfgang Breun, Alexander Pass, Michael Heinisch, Ingo Schau, Uwe Gehringer
  • Publication number: 20170328437
    Abstract: A seal guide unit for guiding and sealing a piston rod of a vibration damper having a first guide element and a second guide element fixedly connected to the first guide element and arranged coaxial to the first guide element, and a radially moveable piston rod seal arrangement arranged coaxially between the two guide elements and is at least indirectly surrounded in circumferential direction by at least one guide element, including a defined radial annular gap, and comes in at least indirect axial contact with at least one guide element. The piston rod seal arrangement includes a piston rod seal and a sliding element which encloses the piston rod seal in circumferential direction and axially limits the piston rod seal at least on one side. The sliding element has a lower friction coefficient than parts of the seal guide unit adjoin the piston rod seal arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2015
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas THEIN, Stefan LIEHMANN, Wolfgang BREUN, Alexander PASS, Michael HEINISCH, Ingo SCHAU, Uwe GEHRINGER
  • Patent number: 9261159
    Abstract: A piston-cylinder unit for a mono-tube damper, includes: a cylinder having an inner wall and a closure fixed axially with respect to the cylinder by positive engagement with one or more impressions of the inner wall, the closure having a plug sealed with respect to the inner wall, the plug having a reinforced portion and being axially moveable with respect to the cylinder when a temperature threshold is exceeded. Axial movement caused by the temperature threshold being exceeded causes deformation of the plug with respect to the cylinder so as to: (i) form a channel between the plug and the inner wall of the cylinder, through which pressure, caused by the increased temperature, can escape the piston-cylinder unit, and (ii) permit axial movement of the closure only to a point at which the reinforced portion of the plug comes into contact with the one or more impressions in the cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Thomas Thein, Stefan Liehmann, Ingo Schau, Michael Heinisch
  • Publication number: 20150159723
    Abstract: A piston-cylinder unit for a mono-tube damper, includes: a cylinder having an inner wall and a closure fixed axially with respect to the cylinder by positive engagement with one or more impressions of the inner wall, the closure having a plug sealed with respect to the inner wall, the plug having a reinforced portion and being axially moveable with respect to the cylinder when a temperature threshold is exceeded. Axial movement caused by the temperature threshold being exceeded causes deformation of the plug with respect to the cylinder so as to: (i) form a channel between the plug and the inner wall of the cylinder, through which pressure, caused by the increased temperature, can escape the piston-cylinder unit, and (ii) permit axial movement of the closure only to a point at which the reinforced portion of the plug comes into contact with the one or more impressions in the cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Thomas Thein, Stefan Liehmann, Ingo Schau, Michael Heinisch
  • Publication number: 20140027220
    Abstract: A separating piston for hydropneumatic units, separating a cylinder interior which is filled with liquid in a cylinder from a gas-filled compensation chamber or spring space in a sealing manner and which is formed of two parts and has a radially circumferential seal groove in which is arranged an annular seal which can tightly contact the inner wall of the cylinder. One of the two separating piston parts is a guide part which has characteristics conducive to sliding and which slides at the inner wall of the cylinder, and the other separating piston part is a retaining part which is connected to the guide part. The guide part is a stamped and/or bent sheet metal part which is coated with a guide or running layer at least on its guide area sliding along the inner wall of the cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventors: Günther HANDKE, Thomas Thein, Hassan Asadi
  • Patent number: 8245823
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vibration damper comprising a cylinder in which a piston rod is guided in an axially movable manner. A first piston is mounted stationarily on the piston rod while a second piston that is equipped with at least one valve disk biased by a spring assembly is mounted on the piston rod so as to be axially movable counter to a force of at least one support spring. The spring assembly is provided with at least one spring plate on which the spring assembly rests. The second piston is retained by a fixing sleeve which supports the at least one spring plate. The structural unit encompassing the fixing sleeve and the at least one spring plate is fitted with an axially effective separating joint for a locking connection inside the structural unit. The entire structural unit can be axially displaced towards the at least one support spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Bernd Zeissner, Andreas Foerster, Frank Gundermann, Steffen Heyn, Anton Krawczyk, Uwe Boecker, Thomas Thein, Wolfgang Breun, Herbert Bies, Holger Beyer, Ludwig Gampl, Heinz-Joachim Gilsdorf, Klaus Sauer
  • Patent number: 8113324
    Abstract: A damping valve for a vibration damper includes a guide sleeve which slides on the piston rod of a vibration damper. An annular damping valve body which is provided with at least one through-opening is fixed axially by positive engagement on the guide sleeve, and the through-opening is covered at least partly by at least one valve disk which is biased by at least one closing spring which is supported at its end at a spring plate connected to the guide sleeve. The damping valve body and a spring plate which is constructed separate from the guide sleeve form a compression chain between two axially spaced stops of the guide sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Freidrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Helmut Baalmann, Steffen Heyn, Thomas Thein, Michael Hegmann
  • Publication number: 20090127039
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vibration damper comprising a cylinder in which a piston rod is guided in an axially movable manner. A first piston (7) is mounted stationarily on the piston rod while a second piston (23) that is equipped with at least one valve disk biased by a spring assembly is mounted on the piston rod so as to be axially movable counter to the force of at least one support spring. The spring assembly is provided with at least one spring plate (39, 41) on which the spring assembly (33, 35) rests. The second piston (23) forms a structural unit along with a fixing sleeve (37) and the at least one spring plate for the spring assembly. The at least one spring plate is mounted in an axially movable manner relative to the fixing sleeve (37) and can be fixed in the desired axial position in order to adjust the bias of the spring assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDCHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Bernd Zeissner, Andreas Foerster, Frank Gundermann, Steffen Heyn, Anton Krawczyk, Uwe Boecker, Thomas Thein, Wolfgang Breun, Herbert Bies, Holger Beyer, Ludwig Gampl, Heinz-Joachim Gilsdorf, Klaus Sauer
  • Publication number: 20090038898
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vibration damper comprising a cylinder in which a piston rod is guided in an axially movable manner. A first piston is mounted stationarily on the piston rod while a second piston that is equipped with at least one valve disk biased by a spring assembly is mounted on the piston rod so as to be axially movable counter to a force of at least one support spring. The spring assembly is provided with at least one spring plate on which the spring assembly rests. The second piston is retained by a fixing sleeve which supports the at least one spring plate. The structural unit encompassing the fixing sleeve and the at least one spring plate is fitted with an axially effective separating joint for a locking connection inside the structural unit. The entire structural unit can be axially displaced towards the at least one support spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2006
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Bernd Zeissner, Andreas Foerster, Frank Gundermann, Steffen Heyn, Anton Krawczyk, Uwe Boecker, Thomas Thein, Wolfgang Breun, Herbert Bies, Holger Beyer, Ludwig Gampl, Heinz-Joachim Gilsdorf, Klaus Sauer
  • Publication number: 20080296526
    Abstract: A damping valve for a vibration damper includes a guide sleeve which slides on the piston rod of a vibration damper. An annular damping valve body which is provided with at least one through-opening is fixed axially by positive engagement on the guide sleeve, and the through-opening is covered at least partly by at least one valve disk which is biased by at least one closing spring which is supported at its end at a spring plate connected to the guide sleeve. The damping valve body and a spring plate which is constructed separate from the guide sleeve form a compression chain between two axially spaced stops of the guide sleeve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Helmut Baalmann, Steffen Heyn, Thomas Thein, Michael Hegmann
  • Patent number: 5810391
    Abstract: In a safety steering wheel, the ring and spokes are jacketed in a polyurethane integral foam of which the cap covering the integrated air bag unit is also made. To improve appearances the jacketing and the cap merge materially with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: MST Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Heribert Werner, Werner Grosser, Thomas Thein
  • Patent number: 5496066
    Abstract: A safety device for the passenger compartment of a passenger car comprises a cushion plate, which is mounted in the front part of the vehicle on the knee level and is displaceable by drive means toward the knees of the passenger. In a simple embodiment the drive means comprise a fixed leaf spring, which is prestressed in a state of rest and is releasable to move opposite to the direction of travel of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1996
    Assignee: Pars - Passive Ruckhaltesysteme GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Hoffmann, Michael Bischoff, Joachim Franz, Thomas Thein