Patents by Inventor Viktor Franz

Viktor Franz 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: 11067140
    Abstract: A method for operating an actuator arrangement for a clutch operating system includes providing an actuator arrangement with a transmission, a piston, and an inductive sensor device. The transmission has an electric motor and a metal lead screw that converts a rotary motion into a linear motion. The piston is connected to the metal lead screw. The method also includes energizing the electric motor to linearly displace the metal lead screw in an axial direction, axially displacing the piston with the metal lead screw, using the metal lead screw as a target for the inductive sensor device, and using the inductive sensor device to determine an axial distance traveled by the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Markus Dietrich, Viktor Franz
  • Publication number: 20200102990
    Abstract: A method for operating an actuator arrangement for a clutch operating system includes providing an actuator arrangement with a transmission, a piston, and an inductive sensor device. The transmission has an electric motor and a metal lead screw that converts a rotary motion into a linear motion. The piston is connected to the metal lead screw. The method also includes energizing the electric motor to linearly displace the metal lead screw in an axial direction, axially displacing the piston with the metal lead screw, using the metal lead screw as a target for the inductive sensor device, and using the inductive sensor device to determine an axial distance traveled by the piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Applicant: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Markus Dietrich, Viktor Franz
  • Patent number: 9784256
    Abstract: A hydrostatic actuator and an arrangement for attaching it to a receiving component are provided. The hydrostatic actuator has a master cylinder containing a housing and a piston movable axially within the housing which acts on a pressure chamber filled with a pressurizing agent. The piston is driven by a rotary-driven electric motor having a stator and a rotor, by a rolling planetary transmission that converts the rotary drive to an axial motion. In order to be able to produce such a hydrostatic actuator with little need for construction space, cost-effectively and with better quality, a supporting of the rolling planetary transmission is simplified, and the cooling and shielding of an electronic controller and the pressure behavior of the hydrostatic actuator is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Viktor Franz, Matthias Ehrlich, Norbert Esly, Matthias Gramann, Juergen Gerhart, Julian Botiov
  • Publication number: 20140105768
    Abstract: A hydrostatic actuator and an arrangement for attaching it to a receiving component are provided. The hydrostatic actuator has a master cylinder containing a housing and a piston movable axially within the housing which acts on a pressure chamber filled with a pressurizing agent. The piston is driven by a rotary-driven electric motor having a stator and a rotor, by a rolling planetary transmission that converts the rotary drive to an axial motion. In order to be able to produce such a hydrostatic actuator with little need for construction space, cost-effectively and with better quality, a supporting of the rolling planetary transmission is simplified, and the cooling and shielding of an electronic controller and the pressure behavior of the hydrostatic actuator is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Publication date: April 17, 2014
    Applicant: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Viktor Franz, Matthias Ehrlich, Norbert Esly, Matthias Gramann, Juergen Gerhart, Julian Botiov
  • Patent number: 8490391
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hydrostatic actuator, having a master cylinder including a housing and a piston, which is axially mountable in the housing and which pressurizes a pressure chamber filled with pressure medium, a planetary rolling-contact gear system that converts a rotary drive into an axial motion and that has a sleeve, a gear-driven spindle, and planetary rolling elements that roll therebetween, and an electric motor that drives the planetary rolling-contact gear system and that has a stator rigidly connected to a housing and a rotor that can be rotated relative to the stator. In order to optimize the installation space, the pressure chamber is annular and the planetary rolling-contact gear system is arranged radially within the pressure chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Viktor Franz, Matthias Ehrlich, Norbert Esly
  • Publication number: 20120241281
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hydrostatic actuator, having a master cylinder including a housing and a piston, which is axially mountable in the housing and which pressurizes a pressure chamber filled with pressure medium, a planetary rolling-contact gear system that converts a rotary drive into an axial motion and that has a sleeve, a gear-driven spindle, and planetary rolling elements that roll therebetween, and an electric motor that drives the planetary rolling-contact gear system and that has a stator rigidly connected to a housing and a rotor that can be rotated relative to the stator. In order to optimize the installation space, the pressure chamber is annular and the planetary rolling-contact gear system is arranged radially within the pressure chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Viktor Franz, Matthias Ehrlich, Norbert Esly