Patents by Inventor William John Penninger

William John Penninger 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: 9868427
    Abstract: A vehicle brake booster system includes a reservoir, a pump, and a brake booster. The brake booster includes an input member adapted to receive a manual braking input force and an output member adapted to apply a braking output force to a master cylinder. A supply line couples the pump to the brake booster, and a return line couples an outlet of the brake booster to the reservoir. A flow of hydraulic fluid pumped to the brake booster provides a boost factor by which the braking output force exceeds the braking input force. The brake booster is hydraulically lockable by a first valve in the supply line and a second valve in the return line such that when the first and second valves are closed, a quantity of hydraulic fluid is trapped within the brake booster to maintain operation of the brake booster without continued operation of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: William John Penninger, Richard Becker McClain
  • Publication number: 20170106845
    Abstract: A vehicle brake booster system includes a reservoir, a pump, and a brake booster. The brake booster includes an input member adapted to receive a manual braking input force and an output member adapted to apply a braking output force to a master cylinder. A supply line couples the pump to the brake booster, and a return line couples an outlet of the brake booster to the reservoir. A flow of hydraulic fluid pumped to the brake booster provides a boost factor by which the braking output force exceeds the braking input force. The brake booster is hydraulically lockable by a first valve in the supply line and a second valve in the return line such that when the first and second valves are closed, a quantity of hydraulic fluid is trapped within the brake booster to maintain operation of the brake booster without continued operation of the pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: William John Penninger, Richard Becker McClain
  • Patent number: 8366205
    Abstract: A brake booster wherein second and third pistons are separated within a bore of a master cylinder to define second and third chambers. Compensation valves control the flow fluid from a reservoir to the bore while a passage in the second piston connects the second chamber with the third chamber that is connected to the reservoir through an tilt valve that is held opened by pressurized fluid acting on a fourth piston. A control valve responds to a resiliently applied force from an input rod carried by the third piston to supply pressurized fluid to the brake system. In an event pressurized fluid is unavailable, a spring moves the fourth piston and a sixth spring to moves the tilt valve against a seat to seal the third chamber and create a hydraulic lock. Further movement of the third piston correspondingly moves the second piston to effect a manual brake application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: John E. Mackiewicz, William John Penninger
  • Patent number: 7044566
    Abstract: A caging arrangement for setting a spring height and correspondingly chamber size in a master cylinder. A cylindrical member has a convoluted surface that is placed in a bore of a piston and a ball is pressed into the cylindrical member to radially expand the convoluted surface into engagement with the piston. A spring is placed on the piston and a disc placed on the spring. A first end of a valve stem having a radial projection is passed through the disc and a force applied to the valve stem while holding the piston stationary such that the radial projection engages and outwardly moves an inward flange on the cylindrical body to allow the radial projection to move past the inward flange. The force is removed and the spring expands until the radial projection engages the inward flange to set distance between the piston and the valve stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: William John Penninger, Andrew Paul Wasson, Thomas David Rothbauer
  • Patent number: 6990812
    Abstract: A control valve of a hydraulic brake booster for use in a brake system. The control valve is characterized by a shuttle member having a stem on a first end and an annular projection on a second end. The stem has an annular surface thereon that is matched with an orifice from an supply chamber such that metered pressurized fluid is uniformly presented to an actuation chamber to effect a brake application while the annular projection is matched with a flange on an actuator piston such that the pressurized fluid present in the actuation chamber is uniformly metered to a reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Richard Becker McClain, William John Penninger, Gary L. Doty, Timothy J. Albert
  • Patent number: 6959637
    Abstract: A control valve for a brake booster having a first member with a first bore, a second member located in the first bore and having a second bore, a plunger located in the second bore and connected to an input member. A gear fixed to the second member with teeth that engage a first rack retained in the first body and a stationary rack within the brake booster. A force applied to the input member controls the development of a pressure differential that moves a wall during a brake application. Movement of the wall causes a rotative torque to be transmitted from the first rack into teeth such that the gear moves with respect to the second rack and the second body to separates from the first body and as a result the travel of input member is less than the travel of the wall during a brake application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: William John Penninger, Gary L. Doty, Richard Becker McClain, John Edmund Mackiewicz
  • Patent number: 6923296
    Abstract: A support for a disc brake has first and second bores in a first projection and third and fourth bores in a second projection located in a same horizontal plane and the first and third bores aligned in a first vertical plane and the second and fourth bores aligned in a second vertical plane. A first pin retained in the first and third bores extend through a first lever to position a first friction member adjacent a rotor while a second pin extends through the second and fourth bores to position a second friction member adjacent the rotor. Pressurized fluid is supplied to act on a piston retained in the first lever such that the first lever pivots on the first pin and the second lever pivots on the second pin to thereafter move the first and second friction members into engagement with the rotor and effect a brake application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: John Edmund Mackiewicz, William John Penninger
  • Patent number: 6668552
    Abstract: A hydraulic brake booster has a housing with a stepped bore for retaining a cylindrical piston and a control bore for retaining a control valve. The cylindrical piston defines, with the stepped bore, an output chamber, a relief chamber and a power chamber; and includes a second stepped bore for a reaction piston. The reaction piston includes an axial bore, receiving a plunger defining an actuation chamber and a poppet valve. The input force initially moves the plunger and poppet valve to interrupt communication between the actuation and relief chambers; and thereafter moves the plunger to pressurize fluid in the actuation chamber, creating an input signal. The input signal activates the control valve; generating a regulated pressurized fluid, supplied directly to a second set of wheel brakes and acts on the cylindrical piston, to pressurize operational fluid supplied to a first set of wheel brakes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: William John Penninger, Raymond Kosarski, Jr., John E. Mackiewicz
  • Patent number: 6591611
    Abstract: A hydraulic brake booster (12) having a housing (100,200) with a first bore (102) separated from a second bore (104). The first bore (102) retains a power piston (50) and the second bore (104) retains a control valve (60). The first bore (102) is connected by a passage (112) to the second bore (104) that is connected to a source of pressurized supply fluid (24). In responsive to a desired braking force being applied to the input member (30,30′), the lever arrangement (80) moves the control valve (60) to allow controlled pressurized supply fluid to be communicated from the second bore (104) by way of passage (12) to the first bore (102).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: John E. Mackiewicz, William John Penninger
  • Patent number: 6561596
    Abstract: A hydraulic brake booster (12) for use in a brake system (10) having a first housing (100) with a first bore (102) separated from a second bore (104). The first bore (102) retains a power piston (118) and the second bore (104) retains a control valve arrangement (170). A push rod (30) of an input arrangement (49) is connected to the power piston (118) and linked to the control valve arrangement (170) by a lever arrangement (50). A second housing (200) encloses the control valve arrangement (170), lever arrangement (50) and a projection (117) that extends from the power piston (118) to define a cavity or relief chamber (202) having a permanent low pressure. The input arrangement (49) supplies the control valve arrangement (170) with an input force in response to a braking force applied to the push rod (30) to regulate the communication of pressurized supply fluid from the second bore (104).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: William John Penninger, Robert Keller Wilson, Richard Becker McClain, Kenneth Scott Towers
  • Publication number: 20030079473
    Abstract: A hydraulic brake booster (12) having a housing (100,200) with a first bore (102) separated from a second bore (104). The first bore (102) retains a power piston (50) and the second bore (104) retains a control valve (60). An input member (30,30′) is connected to the power piston (50) and linked to the control valve (60) by a lever arrangement (80). The first bore (102) is connected by a passage (112) to the second bore (104) that is connected to a source of pressurized supply fluid (24). In responsive to a desired braking force being applied to the input member (30,30′), the lever arrangement (80) moves the control valve (60) to allow controlled pressurized supply fluid to be communicated from the second bore (104) by way of passage (12) to the first bore (102). The controlled pressurized supply fluid in the first bore (102) acts on the power piston (50) to develop an operational force to effect a brake application.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Inventors: John E. Mackiewicz, William John Penninger
  • Publication number: 20030067218
    Abstract: A hydraulic brake booster (12) for use in a brake system (10) having a first housing (100) with a first bore (102) separated from a second bore (104). The first bore (102) retains a power piston (118) and the second bore (104) retains a control valve arrangement (170). A push rod (30) of an input arrangement (49) is connected to the power piston (118) and linked to the control valve arrangement (170) by a lever arrangement (50). A second housing (200) encloses the control valve arrangement (170), lever arrangement (50) and a projection (117) that extends from the power piston (118) to define a cavity or relief chamber (202). The input arrangement (49) supplies the control valve arrangement (170) with an input force in response to a braking force applied to the push rod (30) to regulate the communication of pressurized supply fluid from the second bore (104). The regulated supply fluid acts on and moves the power piston (118) to pressurize operational fluid in the first bore (102).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2001
    Publication date: April 10, 2003
    Inventors: William John Penninger, Robert Keller Wilson, Richard Becker McClain, Kenneth Scott Towers
  • Patent number: 6343469
    Abstract: A hydraulic system (10) having a pump (12) for sequentially supplying a brake booster (14) and a steering gear (16) with hydraulic fluid to an assist in effecting a brake application and/or a steering application. The brake booster (14) has a housing (100) with a chamber (102) therein connected to a first bore (104) which retains a piston (108) connected to a master cylinder (112) and a second bore (106) which retains a control valve (114). The second bore (106) has an inlet port (118) connected to the pump (12) for receiving supply hydraulic fluid, an outlet port (120) connected to the steering gear (16) and a return port (120) connected to the pump (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Robert Bosch Corporation
    Inventors: William John Penninger, John Edmund Mackiewicz