Patents by Inventor Thorsten LEIM
Thorsten LEIM 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).
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Publication number: 20260097688Abstract: A method is provided for heating components of a vehicle having a first electric drive unit, a second electric drive unit, and an inverter system for supplying the electric drive units with alternating current. The first electric drive unit produces a first torque and the second electric drive unit produces a second torque, where a sum of the first and second torques is a driving torque. For producing a desired driving torque the first electric drive unit is operated as a generator and the second electric drive unit is operated as a motor so that a total current flow is produced in the inverter system that is greater than a total current flow that would be produced in the inverter system when both electric drive units are operated as motors to produce the desired driving torque.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2025Publication date: April 9, 2026Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Thorsten LEIM, Stefan BLATTNER, Stefan BEMETZ, Dennis WOHLFAHRT, Christian MITTELBERGER, Jochen BREUER, Mario STEINBORN, Fabian LEY, Hannes WERNER, Stefan SPÜHLER, Benjamin BERGER
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Patent number: 12409839Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle (1) having at least one driven axle (3) with a locking differential (10a), where when the motor vehicle (1) is driving and the locking differential (10a) concerned is engaged on at least one driven axle (3), it is checked whether the motor vehicle is driving round a curve. If it is found that the motor vehicle is driving round a curve, the engaged locking differential (10a) is actuated to disengage it and it is checked whether the locking differential (10a) concerned has in fact been disengaged. If it is found that the locking differential (10a) concerned has not been disengaged, the wheel of the driven axle (3) concerned on the outside of the curve is braked.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2024Date of Patent: September 9, 2025Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Stefan Spühler, Stefan Blattner, Stefan Bemetz, Dennis Wohlfahrt, Thorsten Leim, Jochen Breuer, Mario Steinborn, Fabian Ley, Hannes Werner, Benjamin Berger, Christian Mittelberger
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Publication number: 20240383476Abstract: A method for operating a motor vehicle (1) having at least one driven axle (3) with a locking differential (10a), where when the motor vehicle (1) is driving and the locking differential (10a) concerned is engaged on at least one driven axle (3), it is checked whether the motor vehicle is driving round a curve. If it is found that the motor vehicle is driving round a curve, the engaged locking differential (10a) is actuated to disengage it and it is checked whether the locking differential (10a) concerned has in fact been disengaged. If it is found that the locking differential (10a) concerned has not been disengaged, the wheel of the driven axle (3) concerned on the outside of the curve is braked.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2024Publication date: November 21, 2024Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Stefan Spühler, Stefan Blattner, Stefan Bemetz, Dennis Wohlfahrt, Thorsten Leim, Jochen Breuer, Mario Steinborn, Fabian Ley, Hannes Werner, Benjamin Berger, Christian Mittelberger
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Patent number: 11732780Abstract: Disclosed is an electric vehicle transmission (6?) comprising a drive input shaft (11), a drive output shaft (13), a first planetary gearset (15), and a second planetary gearset (16). The drive input shaft (11) is provided for connection to an electric machine (7), where each of the first planetary gearset (15) and the second planetary gearset (16) includes a first element (17, 18), a second element (19, 20) and a third element (21, 22), respectively. A first shifting element (A) and a second shifting element (B?) are provided, by the selective actuation of which the drive input shaft (11) can be connected to the drive output shaft (13) by means of the planetary gearsets (15, 16) by engaging a gear. Also disclosed is a drive module (2?) with such an electric vehicle transmission (6?) and a method for operating an electric vehicle transmission (6?).Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2022Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Christian Mittelberger, Stefan Blattner, Dennis Wohlfahrt, Thorsten Leim, Kai Bornträger
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Publication number: 20220307573Abstract: Disclosed is an electric vehicle transmission (6?) comprising a drive input shaft (11), a drive output shaft (13), a first planetary gearset (15), and a second planetary gearset (16). The drive input shaft (11) is provided for connection to an electric machine (7), where each of the first planetary gearset (15) and the second planetary gearset (16) includes a first element (17, 18), a second element (19, 20) and a third element (21, 22), respectively. A first shifting element (A) and a second shifting element (B?) are provided, by the selective actuation of which the drive input shaft (11) can be connected to the drive output shaft (13) by means of the planetary gearsets (15, 16) by engaging a gear. Also disclosed is a drive module (2?) with such an electric vehicle transmission (6?) and a method for operating an electric vehicle transmission (6?).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2022Publication date: September 29, 2022Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Christian Mittelberger, Stefan Blattner, Dennis Wohlfahrt, Thorsten Leim, Kai Bornträger
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Patent number: 10654464Abstract: A method for compensation of a support torque at a combustion engine and transmission which provide an overlay of combustion engine and electric machine. The combustion engine, the electric machine, and a transmission gearset are connected with each other via a planetary gearset, which is positioned in front of a downstream transmission gearset. The invention concerns a transmission gearset of a three-shaft transmission, each with a transmission input shaft for the electric machine, and for the combustion engine, and an output shaft. For the connection or disconnection of the transmission input shaft of the electric machine while driving, the electric machine is used for the synchronization of the input shaft of the electric machine, and the created support torque at the combustion engine is determined, based on this support torque, to match a combustion engine torque and thus to compensate the support torque.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2018Date of Patent: May 19, 2020Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Johannes Glückler, Christian Mittelberger, Kai Bornträger, Andreas Heinzler, Jochen Breuer, Stefan Blattner, Thorsten Leim, Rick Hauschwitz
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Publication number: 20190031016Abstract: A method for compensation of a support torque at a combustion engine and transmission which provide an overlay of combustion engine and electric machine. The combustion engine, the electric machine, and a transmission gearset are connected with each other via a planetary gearset, which is positioned in front of a downstream transmission gearset. The invention concerns a transmission gearset of a three-shaft transmission, each with a transmission input shaft for the electric machine, and for the combustion engine, and an output shaft. For the connection or disconnection of the transmission input shaft of the electric machine while driving, the electric machine is used for the synchronization of the input shaft of the electric machine, and the created support torque at the combustion engine is determined, based on this support torque, to match a combustion engine torque and thus to compensate the support torque.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2018Publication date: January 31, 2019Inventors: Johannes GLÜCKLER, Christian MITTELBERGER, Kai BORNTRÄGER, Andreas HEINZLER, Jochen BREUER, Stefan BLATTNER, Thorsten LEIM, Rick HAUSCHWITZ
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Publication number: 20150120156Abstract: A method of controlling a dual-clutch transmission having two partial transmissions that can be connected to a drive engine such that a target gear, in a respective load-free partial transmission to be engaged following the currently active gear, can be preselected. To reduce the energy consumption caused by transmission losses, the method includes the steps of: determining a possible target gear, determining overall transmission losses for both when a target gear is preselected, and when a target gear is not preselected, determining whether the overall transmission loss is greater when a target gear is preselected or when no gear is preselected, deciding whether a target gear should or should not be preselected using the overall transmission loss determined as a criterion, and implementing measures that correspond to the decision reached.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2013Publication date: April 30, 2015Inventors: Thorsten Leim, Carolin Heller
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Publication number: 20140097061Abstract: A device and a method for rapid disengagement of a clutch (2). The device has a mechanical transmission path (26) which is arranged between a clutch actuator (12) and a first clutch part and comprises a knee lever (4) which facilitates rapid disengagement of the clutch (2).Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2013Publication date: April 10, 2014Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Kai BORNTRAEGER, Thorsten LEIM