Patents by Inventor Ulrich Kehr

Ulrich Kehr 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: 11916445
    Abstract: A rotor (1) for an electric machine (2) includes at least one sensor element (3) configured for detecting condition variables of the rotor (1), a signal processing unit (4) connected to the at least one sensor element (3) and configured for generating measured data from the detected condition variables of the rotor (1) and transmitting the measured data to a control device (5), and a nanogenerator (6) configured for generating electrical energy from at least one surroundings variable and supplying the at least one sensor element (3) and the signal processing unit (4) with electrical energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Jochen Eggler, Ulrich Kehr, Bernd Vahlensieck
  • Patent number: 11843288
    Abstract: A rotor (1) for an electric machine (2) includes at least one sensor element (3) configured for detecting at least one condition variable of the rotor (1), a signal processing unit (4) connected to the at least one sensor element (3) and configured for generating measured data from the detected condition variable of the rotor (1) and transmitting the measured data to a control device (5), and at least one induction coil (7) that includes at least one electrical conductor (8), is arranged at least indirectly on an end face of the rotor (1), and is configured for generating electrical energy from a magnetic front stray field (12) rotating in relation to the rotor (1) during the operation of the electric machine (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Kehr, Jochen Eggler
  • Patent number: 11837923
    Abstract: A rotor (1) for an electric machine (2) operated with a pulsed voltage, the rotor (1) having at least one sensor element (3) for detecting at least one condition variable of the rotor (1), and a signal processing unit (4) connected to the at least one sensor element (3), the signal processing unit (4) generating measured data based on the at least one condition variable of the rotor (1) and transmitting the measured data to a control device (5). The rotor (1) further having at least one induction coil (7) at least indirectly supported on an end face of the rotor (1), the at least one induction coil (7) being tuned to a modulation of a fundamental wave field of a magnetic front stray field (12) formed during operation of the electric machine (2) with pulsed voltage to generate electrical energy from the fundamental wave field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Kehr, Jochen Eggler
  • Patent number: 11699939
    Abstract: An electric machine (10) includes a housing (12), a stator (20) fixed within the housing (12), a rotor (30) with a rotor shaft (32), an air gap (24) formed between the rotor (30) and the stator (20), and a cooling device (14) configured for liquid cooling of the electric machine (10). The rotor shaft (32) defines an axial bore (36) in an axial direction, which extends at least partially into the rotor (30). The rotor (30) defines a radially extending air duct (40), which extends from an inner side (42) contacting the rotor shaft (30) to an outer side (44) facing the air gap (24). The rotor shaft (32) defines a bore (46), which is aligned with the air duct (40) such that air is flowable out of the rotor shaft (32) into the air gap (24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventor: Ulrich Kehr
  • Patent number: 11660949
    Abstract: A drive device (2) for an at least partially electrically driven vehicle (1) includes an electric machine (3) having a rotor shaft (8) extending longitudinally along an input axis (4). The drive device further includes a first output shaft (6a) extending longitudinally along an output axis (7) and parallel to the rotor shaft (8). Moreover, the drive device includes a gear stage (5) having a first gearwheel (9) rotationally fixed to the rotor shaft (8), and a second gearwheel (10) meshed with the first gearwheel (9) and drivingly connected to the first output shaft (6a). Additionally, the drive device includes a housing (11) having a shared housing cavity (12), wherein the first output shaft (6a) and the electric machine (3) are parallel to one another in the housing cavity (12), and wherein an air gap (18) extends radially between the electric machine (3) and the first output shaft (6a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Timo Wehlen, Michael Roske, Sabine Sielemann, Wolfgang Rieger, Ulrich Kehr, Eckhardt Lübke
  • Publication number: 20230147217
    Abstract: An electric motor may have a housing (which may be round), and a rotor that rotates on a rotor shaft, located within that housing. Hinged levers between the housing and the stator may be pivotable radially on the housing. Forces from the stator in the circumferential direction may be transferred rigidly to the housing by the hinged levers. The hinged levers may allow for radial movements and deformations of the stator upon receipt of these forces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Kehr, Tobias Brenner, Michaela Mehlin, Josef Otta, Sabine Sielemann
  • Publication number: 20230135813
    Abstract: A transmission may have an input shaft, a first output shaft, a second output shaft, and an integral differential functionally located between the input shaft and the two output shafts. The transmission may have a planetary gearset that has one or more gearset elements, and a spur gearset, which has a first spur gear and second spur gear that are intermeshed, where a first gearset element is connected to the input shaft for conjoint rotation, where a second gearset element is connected to the first output shaft for conjoint rotation, where a third gearset element is at least indirectly connected to first spur gear for conjoint rotation, and where the second spur gear is at least indirectly connected to the second output shaft for conjoint rotation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Matthias Reisch, Ulrich Kehr, Michael Kozok
  • Patent number: 11598415
    Abstract: A gearwheel (10), in particular a parking interlock gear, includes an annular body (1). The annular body includes a first toothing (2), arranged on an outer circumference of the annular body, for engaging a locking pawl (20), and a second toothing (3), arranged on an inner circumference of the annular body, for the form-locking connection to a shaft (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventor: Ulrich Kehr
  • Patent number: 11578794
    Abstract: A device (1) for cooling and lubricating components of a vehicle (2) may include a housing (3), a coolant sump (4), a coolant pump (5) for pumping coolant (6) from the coolant sump (4), a heat exchanger (7) for cooling coolant (6) from the coolant pump (5), and a coolant line system (8) including a coolant reservoir (9) having a single coolant inlet (10) and multiple coolant outlets (11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5). The coolant line system (8) fluidically connects the coolant pump (5) to the heat exchanger (7), and the heat exchanger (7) to the single coolant inlet (10) of the coolant reservoir (9). The coolant reservoir (9) receives coolant (6) from the heat exchanger (7) via the single coolant inlet (10) and directs coolant (6) via the multiple coolant outlets (11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5) onto components in the housing (3) requiring cooling and lubrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Michael Roske, Sabine Sielemann, Eckhardt Lübke, Stephan Scharr, Danny Grusser, Wolfgang Rieger, Ulrich Kehr, Timo Wehlen, Andreas Hölscher, Martin Jelinewski
  • Publication number: 20220271585
    Abstract: A rotor (1) for an electric machine (2) includes a rotor body with multiple poles. Multiple flux barriers (6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4) are formed in the interior of the rotor body. The rotor (1) further includes at least one sensor element (3) configured for detecting at least one condition variable of the rotor (1), a signal processing unit (4) connected to the at least one sensor element (3) and configured for generating measured data from the detected condition variable of the rotor (1) and transmitting the measured data to a control device (5), and at least one induction coil (7) that includes at least one electrical conductor (8), is arranged in at least one flux barrier (6.1) of the rotor (1), and is configured for generating electrical energy from a leakage magnetic field in this flux barrier (6.1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Jochen Eggler, Ulrich Kehr
  • Publication number: 20220271627
    Abstract: A rotor (1) for an electric machine (2) includes at least one sensor element (3) configured for detecting at least one condition variable of the rotor (1), a signal processing unit (4) connected to the at least one sensor element (3) and configured for generating measured data from the detected condition variable of the rotor (1) and transmitting the measured data to a control device (5), and at least one induction coil (7) that includes at least one electrical conductor (8), is arranged at least indirectly on an end face of the rotor (1), and is configured for generating electrical energy from a magnetic front stray field (12) rotating in relation to the rotor (1) during the operation of the electric machine (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Ulrich Kehr, Jochen Eggler
  • Publication number: 20220271625
    Abstract: A rotor (1) for an electric machine (2) operated with a pulsed voltage, the rotor (1) having at least one sensor element (3) for detecting at least one condition variable of the rotor (1), and a signal processing unit (4) connected to the at least one sensor element (3), the signal processing unit (4) generating measured data based on the at least one condition variable of the rotor (1) and transmitting the measured data to a control device (5). The rotor (1) further having at least one induction coil (7) at least indirectly supported on an end face of the rotor (1), the at least one induction coil (7) being tuned to a modulation of a fundamental wave field of a magnetic front stray field (12) formed during operation of the electric machine (2) with pulsed voltage to generate electrical energy from the fundamental wave field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Ulrich Kehr, Jochen Eggler
  • Publication number: 20220271626
    Abstract: A rotor (1) for an electric machine (2) includes at least one sensor element (3) configured for detecting condition variables of the rotor (1), a signal processing unit (4) connected to the at least one sensor element (3) and configured for generating measured data from the detected condition variables of the rotor (1) and transmitting the measured data to a control device (5), and a nanogenerator (6) configured for generating electrical energy from at least one surroundings variable and supplying the at least one sensor element (3) and the signal processing unit (4) with electrical energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Jochen Eggler, Ulrich Kehr, Bernd Vahlensieck
  • Publication number: 20220271582
    Abstract: A rotor (1) for an electric machine (2) has a rotor body including multiple poles. The rotor (1) further has at least one sensor element (3) for detecting at least one condition variable of the rotor (1), and a signal processing unit (4) connected to the at least one sensor element (3). The signal processing unit (4) is configured to generate measured data from the condition variable of the rotor (1) and to transmit the measured data to a control device (5). Additionally, the rotor (1) has at least one induction coil (7), where each of the at least one induction coil (7) includes at least one electrical conductor (8). The at least one induction coil (7) is arranged at the rotor (1) and is configured to generate electrical energy from a magnetic field that is temporally changing during operation of the electric machine (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Jochen Eggler, Ulrich Kehr
  • Publication number: 20220247246
    Abstract: A rotor for an electric machine, such as an electric motor, includes a pack of stacked rotor laminations (60). A sheet metal section of the rotor laminations (60) has guide webs (61) and open intermediate spaces (62). Raised areas (63) at the one side of each rotor lamination (60) correspond to indentations at the opposite, other side and form connecting bodies that extend in the axial direction and form-lockingly engage into an adjacent rotor lamination. Radial thrust forces are transferred from one rotor lamination (80) onto the adjacent rotor lamination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Ulrich Kehr, Joachim Zanker
  • Publication number: 20220221046
    Abstract: A device (1) for cooling and lubricating components of a vehicle (2) may include a housing (3), a coolant sump (4), a coolant pump (5) for pumping coolant (6) from the coolant sump (4), a heat exchanger (7) for cooling coolant (6) from the coolant pump (5), and a coolant line system (8) including a coolant reservoir (9) having a single coolant inlet (10) and multiple coolant outlets (11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5). The coolant line system (8) fluidically connects the coolant pump (5) to the heat exchanger (7), and the heat exchanger (7) to the single coolant inlet (10) of the coolant reservoir (9). The coolant reservoir (9) receives coolant (6) from the heat exchanger (7) via the single coolant inlet (10) and directs coolant (6) via the multiple coolant outlets (11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5) onto components in the housing (3) requiring cooling and lubrication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2021
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Michael Roske, Sabine Sielemann, Eckhardt Lübke, Stephan Scharr, Danny Grusser, Wolfgang Rieger, Ulrich Kehr, Timo Wehlen, Andreas Hölscher, Martin Jelinewski
  • Publication number: 20220224203
    Abstract: An electric machine (10) includes a housing (12), a stator (20) fixed within the housing (12), a rotor (30) with a rotor shaft (32), an air gap (24) formed between the rotor (30) and the stator (20), and a cooling device (14) configured for liquid cooling of the electric machine (10). The rotor shaft (32) defines an axial bore (36) in an axial direction, which extends at least partially into the rotor (30). The rotor (30) defines a radially extending air duct (40), which extends from an inner side (42) contacting the rotor shaft (30) to an outer side (44) facing the air gap (24). The rotor shaft (32) defines a bore (46), which is aligned with the air duct (40) such that air is flowable out of the rotor shaft (32) into the air gap (24).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2021
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventor: Ulrich Kehr
  • Publication number: 20220219520
    Abstract: A drive device (2) for an at least partially electrically driven vehicle (1) includes an electric machine (3) having a rotor shaft (8) extending longitudinally along an input axis (4). The drive device further includes a first output shaft (6a) extending longitudinally along an output axis (7) and parallel to the rotor shaft (8). Moreover, the drive device includes a gear stage (5) having a first gearwheel (9) rotationally fixed to the rotor shaft (8), and a second gearwheel (10) meshed with the first gearwheel (9) and drivingly connected to the first output shaft (6a). Additionally, the drive device includes a housing (11) having a shared housing cavity (12), wherein the first output shaft (6a) and the electric machine (3) are parallel to one another in the housing cavity (12), and wherein an air gap (18) extends radially between the electric machine (3) and the first output shaft (6a).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Timo Wehlen, Michael Roske, Sabine Sielemann, Wolfgang Rieger, Ulrich Kehr, Eckhardt Lübke
  • Publication number: 20220203815
    Abstract: An electric axle drive and a vehicle having an electric axle drive are provided. The electric axle drive includes an electric machine (EM) and a differential (10), which couples the electric machine to an axle output. The axle output includes a first output shaft (1) and a second output shaft (2). An axis (B) of the electric machine is arranged at an angle (?) with respect to an axis (A) of the output shafts (1, 2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Ulrich Kehr, Bernd Vahlensieck
  • Publication number: 20220190655
    Abstract: An electric machine (1) may include a multi-piece housing (2) including a first housing end-face section (2a), a second housing end-face section (2b), and a housing shell section (2c) axially between the first and second housing end-face sections (2a, 2b). The electric machine (1) may further include a stator (4) fixed relative to the housing (2) proximate at least one of the first and second housing end-face sections (2a, 2b). Additionally, the electric machine (1) may include a rotor (5) radially within the stator (4). At least one of the first and second housing end-face sections (2a, 2b) has at least one axial ridge (14a) protruding axially into the stator (4) and rotationally fixed to an inner circumferential surface (15) of the stator (4) to support torque of the stator (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Timo Wehlen, Eckhardt Lübke, Andreas Hölscher, Martin Jelinewski, Manfred Till, Ulrich Kehr