Patents by Inventor Ulrich Mair
Ulrich Mair 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: 20140345959Abstract: A device for propelling a vehicle includes at least two electric motors, whereas each of the electric motors is equipped with a cooling device. The cooling device includes at least one cooling fluid line, whereas the cooling fluid lines are connected to the two cooling devices through a common cooling fluid connection line.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2012Publication date: November 27, 2014Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Ulrich Mair, Jens Heimann
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Publication number: 20140209266Abstract: A method of producing a trailing arm of a torsion beam axle in which an integrated drive unit of a wheel-adjacent electric drive has an electric machine and a transmission. By using the method, the trailing arm is produced in the form of a casting with a box profile. The contours for producing the area that accommodates the transmission, the connection point to the vehicle body, the bore that receives the cross-member which connects the two trailing arms to one another, the U-profile of the trailing arm, the box profile and the area that accommodates the electric machine, are modeled by cores such that the contours for producing the connection point of the trailing arm to the vehicle body, the bore that receives the cross-member and the U-profile of the trailing arm are modeled by one core.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2012Publication date: July 31, 2014Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Ulrich Mair, Stephan Pollmeyer
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Publication number: 20140166378Abstract: A drive unit, for an electric vehicle, comprising an electric machine that can be arranged in the area of an end of a vehicle axle of the electric vehicle and also a transmission unit, which co-operates with the electric machine, for driving a wheel of the electric vehicle. The electric machine and the transmission unit can be arranged adjacent to the wheel. The electric machine is designed so that the electric machine can be arranged adjacent to a wheel at either of the two ends of the vehicle axle in the drive unit for driving the wheel concerned. The invention also concerns a vehicle axle incorporating the drive unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2012Publication date: June 19, 2014Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Ulrich Mair, Stephan Pollmeyer, Martin Munster
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Publication number: 20140144718Abstract: A drive device located closely adjacent to the wheel for a single wheel of a motor vehicle. The drive device has an electric drive that has at least one driveshaft for the wheel. A gearing interacts with the at least one drive shaft for transmitting torque to drive the wheel and is connectable to the individual wheel. A locking mechanism is disposed to lock the wheel and is designed to block the gearing and/or the drive shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2012Publication date: May 29, 2014Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Ulrich Mair, Stephan Pollmeyer, Martin Munster
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Publication number: 20140138171Abstract: A vehicle axle, in particular a torsion beam axle for an electric vehicle, with at least one trailing arm on which is arranged a drive unit located close to a wheel, and the drive unit comprises an electric machine and a transmission unit. The drive unit, close to the wheel, has at least one supply line and at least one damper such that the drive unit, close to the wheel, is formed at least partially as a trailing arm and the damper is connected, on at least one side, to the drive unit at least in a single-shear manner and can be connected, on at least the other side, to a body of the electric vehicle. The at least one vehicle axle is utilized on a motor vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2012Publication date: May 22, 2014Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Ulrich Mair, Stephan Pollmeyer, Martin Munster
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Patent number: 8726750Abstract: A mechanism for actuating a shifting element. A first shifting element half of a brake is axially fixedly connected to a drive machine output shaft, which, when rotational movement of the output shaft equals the disengaging movement of the shifting element, is rotationally fixed to the output shaft. In the event of an engaging force, opposite the disengaging movement of the shifting element, an axial force acts on the output shaft, such that the first shifting element half frictionally engages with an axially and rotationally fixed second shifting element half. In the event of a disengaging force that acts in the disengaging direction of the shifting element, an axial force acts on the motor output shaft such that the first shifting element half of the brake is moved out of frictional engagement with the second shifting element half.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2012Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Detlef Baasch, Ulrich Mair
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Publication number: 20140128194Abstract: A drive unit close to the wheel of an electric vehicle having an electric machine with a drive shaft and transmission unit that has at least a first transmission component with an output shaft. The transmission unit interacts with the driveshaft for transferring torque. The drive shaft has, as bearings, two drive shaft bearings and the output shaft has at least one output shaft bearing. At least one of the drive shaft bearings and output shaft bearings is a fixed bearing, and at least an additional drive shaft bearing and the output shaft bearing are loose bearings. The drive and the output shaft bearings are radial bearings. A vehicle can have additional drive units close to the wheel, a vehicle axle can have at least a drive unit close to the wheel and an application of a drive unit close to the wheel.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2012Publication date: May 8, 2014Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Ulrich Mair, Stephan Pollmeyer, Martin Munster
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Publication number: 20140000970Abstract: A drive device (11) for driving a wheel (7) of an electrically powered vehicle having an electric machine (12) and a transmission unit. The transmission unit has a spur gear transmission (14) and a planetary transmission (13) which, when viewed in the direction of the flow of force during a traction operation, is positioned on the output side of the electric machine (12) in the sequence of the planetary transmission (13) and then the spur gear transmission (14).Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2012Publication date: January 2, 2014Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Martin Munster, Stephan Pollmeyer, Jens Heimann, Ulrich Mair
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Patent number: 8387741Abstract: A drive train arrangement for a vehicle comprising a main transmission and a transfer box which are both housed within a transmission housing. The transfer box comprises a drive output which is connected to a rear axle differential transmission and connectable, by a torque transmission element and a connecting shaft, to a front axle differential transmission. The connecting shaft is arranged at a predetermined angle relative to the drive output shaft of the main transmission. The end of the connecting shaft, facing toward the front axle differential transmission, is actively connected to the front axle differential transmission. The front axle differential transmission is fixed to the vehicle by at least one adaptor device allowing the front axle differential transmission to be adapted to a variety of arrangement positions along the rotation axis of the connection shaft.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2009Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Ulrich Mair, Thomas Rosemeier, Dietmar Gehring, Detlef Baasch, Lothar Beigang, Manfred Geier
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Publication number: 20120255828Abstract: A mechanism for changing the operating condition of a shifting element having two shifting element halves, which can either be functionally connected to connect two components or disengaged to break the connection between the components. The mechanism includes a drive machine and a drive converter unit in the area of which rotary drive motion of the drive machine can be converted into a translational actuation movement of the shifting element. A spring device is associated with the drive converter unit, whose spring force assists with actuating the shifting element in the engaging direction. The spring device includes an approximately circular flat spring element which, in at least one area of the drive converter unit, is in contact with at least one cam, whose stress condition varies as a function of an operating condition of the drive converter unit and is designed to be rotationally fixed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2012Publication date: October 11, 2012Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Detlef BAASCH, Ulrich MAIR
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Publication number: 20120255387Abstract: A mechanism for actuating a shifting element. A first shifting element half of a brake is axially fixedly connected to a drive machine output shaft, which, when rotational movement of the output shaft equals the disengaging movement of the shifting element, is rotationally fixed to the output shaft. In the event of an engaging force, opposite the disengaging movement of the shifting element, an axial force acts on the output shaft, such that the first shifting element half frictionally engages with an axially and rotationally fixed second shifting element half. In the event of a disengaging force that acts in the disengaging direction of the shifting element, an axial force acts on the motor output shaft such that the first shifting element half of the brake is moved out of frictional engagement with the second shifting element half.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2012Publication date: October 11, 2012Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Detlef BAASCH, Ulrich MAIR
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Publication number: 20120192675Abstract: A modular housing, which comprises a first housing assembly for accommodating at least one main transmission by which various gear ratios can be obtained, and whose transmission output shaft can be brought, in an area of the first housing assembly, into functional connection with a drive output of a vehicle that comprises at least one driven vehicle axle. The first housing assembly has an interface, at least in this area, by which the first housing assembly can be connected with an interface of a second housing assembly for accommodating at least one further transmission element. The interface of the first housing assembly is designed as a universal interface for connection of variously designed second housing assemblies with a respectively corresponding interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2012Publication date: August 2, 2012Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Ulrich MAIR, Ruben CÜPPERS
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Patent number: 7980154Abstract: A transmission shifting device (1) with a selector shaft (2), a disk (7) connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the selector shaft (2), in which a disk-side guide (14) is provided, and a fixed plate (16) arranged opposite the disk (7), in which a plate-side guide (19) is formed. A moving control element (25) is provided for shifting a transmission, which extends into the disk-side and the plate-side guides (14, 19). The disk-side guide (14) extends in the radial direction of the disk (7). A transmission shifting device (1) of this type is particularly compact and takes up only little structural space.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2007Date of Patent: July 19, 2011Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Heinz Reichert, Ulrich Mair, Jörg Kurth
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Publication number: 20110147109Abstract: A drive train arrangement for a vehicle comprising a main transmission and a transfer box which are both housed within a transmission housing. The transfer box comprises a drive output which is connected to a rear axle differential transmission and connectable, by a torque transmission element and a connecting shaft, to a front axle differential transmission. The connecting shaft is arranged at a predetermined angle relative to the drive output shaft of the main transmission. The end of the connecting shaft, facing toward the front axle differential transmission, is actively connected to the front axle differential transmission. The front axle differential transmission is fixed to the vehicle by at least one adaptor device allowing the front axle differential transmission to be adapted to a variety of arrangement positions along the rotation axis of the connection shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2009Publication date: June 23, 2011Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AGInventors: Ulrich Mair, Thomas Rosemeier, Dietmar Gehring, Detlef Baasch, Lothar Beigang, Manfred Geier
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Patent number: 7644935Abstract: A spring carrier for mounting a spring strut to a vehicle body includes a vibration damper having a cylinder and a piston rod which is axially guided in the cylinder, first and second spring collars, and a spring located between the spring collars. An actuator includes a nut and a threaded spindle surrounding the piston rod, the actuator being driven to change the relative axial position of the spring collars. A guide tube extends coaxially between the piston rod and the threaded spindle, the threaded spindle being supported radially against the guide tube by a bearing.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2006Date of Patent: January 12, 2010Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Martin Münster, Ulrich Mair, Detlef Baasch
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Patent number: 7617907Abstract: An axle pivot steering device (4) of a vehicle having first lever elements (8A—1, 8B—1), which are respectively operatively connected, via a second lever element (8A—2, 8B—2), with a wheel carrier (10A, 10B). The first lever elements (8A—1, 8B—1) and the second lever elements (8A—2, 8B—2) are connected with third lever elements (13A, 13B), in an articulated manner, at fixed rotational points (14A, 14B). At least two of the lever elements (8A—1, 8A—2, 13A) are designed to be fork-shaped and be inter-coupled, in an area of the rotational points (14A, 14B), by a bearing bolt (15) such that the bearing torques resulting from the bearing forces acting on the bearing bolt (15) are at least approximately zero.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2006Date of Patent: November 17, 2009Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Ulrich Mair, Klaus Kruber, Stefan Wallner, Grzegorz Ziemski, Markus Hülsmann
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Patent number: 7618048Abstract: A joint arrangement is proposed in a vehicle having a knuckle steering system where the steering linkage comprises one tie rod (2) flexibly connected with the steering cylinder via one joint (9), on lever element (3) flexibly connected with the tie rod (2) and the axle bridge (1) via one joint (7) provided between the tie rod (2) and the lever element (3) and one joint (8) provided between the elver element (3) and the axle bridge (1) and one coupler (5) flexibly connected with the axle head (6) and the tie rod (2) via one joint (10) provided between the coupler (5) and the tie rod (2), the lever element (3) and the coupler (5) being connected with the tie rod (2) via a double joint (6), at least one joint (7) being designed as radial joint and the other joints (8, 9, 10) as ball joints.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2007Date of Patent: November 17, 2009Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Ulrich Mair, Friedrich Saibold, Klaus Kruber, Stefan Wallner
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Patent number: 7601086Abstract: A vehicle is described, with a drive engine arranged in the transverse direction of the vehicle, with vehicle cross-shafts of a vehicle axle that can be driven by the drive engine and with a transmission unit for the variable distribution of the drive torque from the drive engine in the vehicle's transverse direction between wheels connected to the vehicle cross-shafts. The transmission unit has an input shaft and two output shafts, with two planetary gearsets and an electric machine arranged between two interconnected shafts of the planetary gearsets for the variable distribution of the torque delivered by the input shaft between the two output shafts as a function of torque produced by the electric machine.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2006Date of Patent: October 13, 2009Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Thomas Rosemeier, Christoph Pelchen, Ulrich Mair, Detlef Baasch
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Patent number: 7507178Abstract: A transmission unit (7) with a housing (9), a transmission input shaft (10) and three transmission output shafts (11, 12, 13), at least two planetary gearsets (14, 15) and a device (16) arranged between two actively interconnected shafts (14A, 15A) of the planetary gearsets for variable distribution of torque delivered by the transmission input shaft between two of the three transmission output shafts is described. A web (14D) of the first planetary gearset is formed with a differential cage (19A) of a differential (19), which is provided in order to distribute part of the torque which is delivered by the transmission shaft that has been passed on to the two of the transmission output shafts between the two transmission output shafts.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2006Date of Patent: March 24, 2009Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Thomas Rosemeier, Ulrich Mair, Detlef Baasch, Christoph Pelchen
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Publication number: 20090076767Abstract: A device for determining a neutral position of two components (1, 2) that are displaceable relative to one another, comprising an adjustment device for moving the components (1, 2) into any arbitrary relative position and a positional sensor (9) for detecting the relative position, as well as path marker (6) located on the first component (1) and a marker sensor (8) provided on the second component (2) to detect the path marker (6) in a detection region (7), characterized in that in the neutral position the components (1, 2) are aligned with each other in such a manner that the path marker (6) is arranged outside the detection region (7) of the marker sensor (8), wherein the distance (10) between the detection region (7) and the path marker (6) is known, and the device comprises a data processing installation that is linked to the marker sensor (8) and the positional sensor (9), said installation determining the neutral position, when there is detection of the path marker (6) by the marker sensor (8) on the bType: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2008Publication date: March 19, 2009Applicant: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Ulrich Mair, Karl-Hermann Ketteler, Frank Gessler