Patents by Inventor Ulrich Helfmeier

Ulrich Helfmeier 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).

  • Publication number: 20070029156
    Abstract: The friction clutch between the prime mover and the change-speed transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle is actuatable by a slave cylinder cooperating with a master cylinder wherein the piston is movable by a clutch pedal or by an electric actuator. The casing of the slave cylinder is made, at least in part, of a plastic material and defines a plenum chamber arranged to receive pressurized fluid from the master cylinder by way of a conduit extending through a bell which contains the clutch and the slave cylinder. The annular piston of the slave cylinder surrounds the input shaft of the transmission. The plastic material of the casing of the slave cylinder can contain one or more additives which enhance its strength and/or influence its frictional engagement with the adjacent surfaces of the piston or of a lip seal which reciprocates with the piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Publication date: February 8, 2007
    Inventors: Axel Rogner, Manfred Jansen, Woflgang Fugel, Ulrich Helfmeier, Ernani Almeida, Dieter Adler, Uwe Abraham, Gerhard Meyer, Ludwig Winkelmann, Rainer Venz, Manfred Kraus, Peter Giese, Roland Welter, Jean-Francois Heller, Volker Lang, Wolfgang Sulger, Urban Panther
  • Patent number: 7121396
    Abstract: The friction clutch between the prime mover and the change-speed transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle is actuatable by a slave cylinder cooperating with a master cylinder wherein the piston is movable by a clutch pedal or by an electric actuator. The casing of the slave cylinder is made, at least in part, of a plastic material and defines a plenum chamber arranged to receive pressurized fluid from the master cylinder by way of a conduit extending through a bell which contains the clutch and the slave cylinder. The annular piston of the slave cylinder surrounds the input shaft of the transmission. The plastic material of the casing of the slave cylinder can contain one or more additives which enhance its strength and/or influence its frictional engagement with the adjacent surfaces of the piston or of a lip seal which reciprocates with the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG
    Inventors: Axel Rogner, Manfred Jansen, Wolfgang Fugel, Ulrich Helfmeier, Ernani Almeida, Dieter Adler, Uwe Abraham, Gerhard Meyer, Ludwig Winkelmann, Rainer Venz, Manfred Kraus, Peter Giese, Roland Welter, Jean-Francois Heller, Volker Lang, Wolfgang Sulger, Urban Panther
  • Publication number: 20040238313
    Abstract: The friction clutch between the prime mover and the change-speed transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle is actuatable by a slave cylinder cooperating with a master cylinder wherein the piston is movable by a clutch pedal or by an electric actuator. The casing of the slave cylinder is made, at least in part, of a plastic material and defines a plenum chamber arranged to receive pressurized fluid from the master cylinder by way of a conduit extending through a bell which contains the clutch and the slave cylinder. The annular piston of the slave cylinder surrounds the input shaft of the transmission. The plastic material of the casing of the slave cylinder can contain one or more additives which enhance its strength and/or influence its frictional engagement with the adjacent surfaces of the piston or of a lip seal which reciprocates with the piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventors: Axel Rogner, Manfred Jansen, Wolfgang Fugel, Ulrich Helfmeier, Ernani Almeida, Dieter Adler, Uwe Abraham, Gerhard Meyer, Ludwig Winkelmann, Rainer Venz, Manfred Kraus, Peter Giese, Roland Welter, Jean-Francois Heller, Volker Lang, Wolfgang Sulger, Urban Panther
  • Patent number: 6719115
    Abstract: The friction clutch between the prime mover and the change-speed transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle is actuatable by a slave cylinder cooperating with a master cylinder wherein the piston is movable by a clutch pedal or by an electric actuator. The casing of the slave cylinder is made, at least in part, of a plastic material and defines a plenum chamber arranged to receive pressurized fluid from the master cylinder by way of a conduit extending through a bell which contains the clutch and the slave cylinder. The annular piston of the slave cylinder surrounds the input shaft of the transmission. The plastic material of the casing of the slave cylinder can contain one or more additives which enhance its strength and/or influence its frictional engagement with the adjacent surfaces of the piston or of a lip seal which reciprocates with the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG
    Inventors: Axel Rogner, Manfred Jansen, Wolfgang Fugel, Ulrich Helfmeier, Ernani Almeida, Dieter Adler, Uwe Abraham, Gerhard Meyer, Ludwig Winkelmann, Rainer Venz, Manfred Kraus, Peter Giese, Roland Welter, Jean-Francois Heller, Volker Lang, Wolfgang Sulger, Urban Panther
  • Patent number: 6640541
    Abstract: A master cylinder for use in the power train of a motor vehicle to actuate the brakes or the friction clutch is designed to avoid the generation of screeching noise and/or the transmission of stray movements to the piston rod in response to shifting of the piston relative to the housing and relative to the sealing element(s) between the piston and the housing. This can be accomplished by causing the piston to turn relative to the housing and the sealing element(s) during axial movement in the housing and/or by installing one or more dampers between the piston and the housing and/or between the piston and the piston rod. The dampers can constitute separately produced parts and/or specially configured and/or finished surfaces provided on the piston and contacting the housing and/or the sealing element(s). The invention also relates to improvements in the configuration and/or the material(s) of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG
    Inventors: Ludwig Winkelmann, Rainer Venz, Ulrich Helfmeier, Dieter Adler, Uwe Stratil, Thomas Bertelshofer, Karl-Ludwig Grell, Harald Peschke, Roland Welter
  • Publication number: 20030097928
    Abstract: A master cylinder for use in the power train of a motor vehicle to actuate the brakes or the friction clutch is designed to avoid the generation of screeching noise and/or the transmission of stray movements to the piston rod in response to shifting of the piston relative to the housing and relative to the sealing element(s) between the piston and the housing. This can be accomplished by causing the piston to turn relative to the housing and the sealing element(s) during axial movement in the housing and/or by installing one or more dampers between the piston and the housing and/or between the piston and the piston rod. The dampers can constitute separately produced parts and/or specially configured and/or finished surfaces provided on the piston and contacting the housing and/or the sealing element(s). The invention also relates to improvements in the configuration and/or the material(s) of the piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2003
    Publication date: May 29, 2003
    Applicant: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG
    Inventors: Ludwig Winkelmann, Rainer Venz, Ulrich Helfmeier, Dieter Adler, Uwe Stratil, Thomas Bertelshofer, Karl-Ludwig Grell, Harald Peschke, Roland Welter
  • Patent number: 6526868
    Abstract: A master cylinder for use in the power train of a motor vehicle to actuate the brakes or the friction clutch is designed to avoid the generation of screeching noise and/or the transmission of stray movements to the piston rod in response to shifting of the piston relative to the housing and relative to the sealing element(s) between the piston and the housing. This can be accomplished by causing the piston to turn relative to the housing and the sealing element(s) during axial movement in the housing and/or by installing one or more dampers between the piston and the housing and/or between the piston and the piston rod. The dampers can constitute separately produced parts and/or specially configured and/or finished surfaces provided on the piston and contacting the housing and/or the sealing element(s). The invention also relates to improvements in the configuration and/or the material(s) of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Luk Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG
    Inventors: Ludwig Winkelmann, Rainer Venz, Ulrich Helfmeier, Dieter Adler, Uwe Stratil, Thomas Bertelshofer, Karl-Ludwig Grell, Harald Peschke, Roland Welter
  • Publication number: 20030029692
    Abstract: The friction clutch between the prime mover and the change-speed transmission in the power train of a motor vehicle is actuatable by a slave cylinder cooperating with a master cylinder wherein the piston is movable by a clutch pedal or by an electric actuator. The casing of the slave cylinder is made, at least in part, of a plastic material and defines a plenum chamber arranged to receive pressurized fluid from the master cylinder by way of a conduit extending through a bell which contains the clutch and the slave cylinder. The annular piston of the slave cylinder surrounds the input shaft of the transmission. The plastic material of the casing of the slave cylinder can contain one or more additives which enhance its strength and/or influence its frictional engagement with the adjacent surfaces of the piston or of a lip seal which reciprocates with the piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2002
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Applicant: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG
    Inventors: Axel Rogner, Manfred Jansen, Wolfgang Fugel, Ulrich Helfmeier, Ernani Almeida, Dieter Adler, Uwe Abraham, Gerhard Meyer, Ludwig Winkelmann, Rainer Venz, Manfred Kraus, Peter Giese, Roland Welter, Jean-Francois Heller, Volker Lang, Wolfgang Sulger, Urban Panther
  • Patent number: 6446436
    Abstract: A master cylinder for use in the power train of a motor vehicle to actuate the brakes or the friction clutch is designed to avoid the generation of screeching noise and/or the transmission of stray movements to the piston rod in response to shifting of the piston relative to the housing and relative to the sealing element(s) between the piston and the housing. This can be accomplished by causing the piston to turn relative to the housing and the sealing element(s) during axial movement in the housing and/or by installing one or more dampers between the piston and the housing and/or between the piston and the piston rod. The dampers can constitute separately produced parts and/or specially configured and/or finished surfaces provided on the piston and contacting the housing and/or the sealing element(s). The invention also relates to improvements in the configuration and/or the material(s) of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbH
    Inventors: Ludwig Winkelmann, Rainer Venz, Ulrich Helfmeier, Dieter Adler, Uwe Stratil, Thomas Bertelshofer, Karl-Ludwig Grell, Harald Peschke, Roland Welter
  • Publication number: 20020116924
    Abstract: A master cylinder for use in the power train of a motor vehicle to actuate the brakes or the friction clutch is designed to avoid the generation of screeching noise and/or the transmission of stray movements to the piston rod in response to shifting of the piston relative to the housing and relative to the sealing element(s) between the piston and the housing. This can be accomplished by causing the piston to turn relative to the housing and the sealing element(s) during axial movement in the housing and/or by installing one or more dampers between the piston and the housing and/or between the piston and the piston rod. The dampers can constitute separately produced parts and/or specially configured and/or finished surfaces provided on the piston and contacting the housing and/or the sealing element(s). The invention also relates to improvements in the configuration and/or the material(s) of the piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2002
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Applicant: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbH
    Inventors: Ludwig Winkelmann, Rainer Venz, Ulrich Helfmeier, Dieter Adler, Uwe Stratil, Thomas Bertelshofer, Karl-Ludwig Grell, Harald Peschke, Roland Welter
  • Patent number: 5647657
    Abstract: A light system for an interior space of a motor vehicle comprises a plurality of function groups, each comprising a plurality of light-creation units (LE). Each light creation unit has an electrically activated and deactivated light source (LQ) and a reflector (R) for concentrating light from the light source. At least one light conductor (LL) is associated with each light creation unit with its first end being coupled to the light creation unit for transmitting concentrated light, the light conductor including a plurality of flexible individual light conductors (EL), and there being a light emitting unit (E) at a second end of the light conductor for illuminating a surface. The light sources of a single function group are simultaneously activated and deactivated. The light-creation units are spatially distributed in the motor vehicle so as to reduce the lengths of the light conductors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: Hella KG Hueck & Co.
    Inventors: Joachim Damasky, Detlef Decker, Hubert Flottmeyer, Willi Fockers, Ulrich Helfmeier, Franz-Gerhard Jost, Juergen Kabst, Heinrich Vogt, Burkard Woerdenweber