Patents by Inventor Wolfgang Danz
Wolfgang Danz 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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Patent number: 6597977Abstract: Within the scope of the method for adjusting the ratio value for a continuously variable transmission having a variator, a minimum contact pressure force P1,min, and/or P2,min is continuously calculated for the two variator discs on the basis of the actual ratio and of the actual torque to be transmitted and according to the calculated contact pressure minimum force the primary or the secondary disc is determined as controlled variable to be used for the variator ratio, the controlled variable being determined by a comparison of the required pressure values P1,soll or P2,soll with the calculated contact-pressure minimum value in a manner such that if P1,soll≦P1,min, the controlled variable changes from the primary to the secondary side and if the condition P2,soll≦P2,min is fulfilled, the secondary side changes to the primary side, the primary side being the controlled variable at the start of the method.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2001Date of Patent: July 22, 2003Assignee: ZF Batavia L.L.C.Inventors: Wolfgang Danz, Andreas Piepenbrink, Andreas Schwenger
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Patent number: 6567736Abstract: Within the scope of the method for regulating the rotational speed difference of a switchable frictional engagement control, specially of a clutch or brake, in the driving train of a motor vehicle by means of a control closed loop with the desired rotational speed difference as reference input and the actual rotational speed difference as controlled variable, together with the clutch pressure or brake pressure to be adjusted, at least one other controlled variable is used, wherein the closed loop comprises a linear governor and damping members (TP1, TP2, TP3) in a manner such that the time shift of the damped variable per reading step does not exceed a predetermined value so that the exciting of the closed loop remains within a stable range for controlling.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2001Date of Patent: May 20, 2003Assignee: ZF Batavia L.L.C.Inventors: Wolfgang Danz, Andreas Piepenbrink, Andreas Schwenger
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Patent number: 6554737Abstract: Within the scope of the method for controlling the engine rotational speed via the torque converter lock-up clutch during the starting and stopping phases of a motor vehicle having a continuously variable transmission combined with other elements of the drive train, the closing and opening of the torque converter lock-up clutch are used as implicit function so as to ensure optimum comfort via the most asymptotic adjustment possible of the rotational speeds gradients of engine and turbine during starting and by a soft, defined separation of the speed characteristic curves of the engine and turbine during stopping. When the vehicle is standing still the forward clutch is moved into standstill disengaged mode so that the torque converter lock-up clutch can be fully closed.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2001Date of Patent: April 29, 2003Assignee: ZF Batavia L.L.C.Inventors: Ralf Vorndran, Wolfgang Danz, Andreas Piepenbrink, Andreas Schwenger
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Patent number: 6542803Abstract: In a method for controlling the multiplication for a continuously variable transmission with electrohydraulic control by means of a control loop having a linear PID controller with the specified multiplication of the variator iv_soll as command variable, the actual multiplication iv as regulating variable and the multiplication changing speed as correcting variable, the correcting variable delivered by the PID controller is limited to limiting values determined by the design for an upshift and downshift wherein said limiting values are calculated form the limits determined by construction and from the operating-point dependent limits determined by volume flow and the intersection of both admissible intervals determined by construction and by volume flow is defined as admissible multiplication changing speed range.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2001Date of Patent: April 1, 2003Assignee: ZF Batavia L.L.C.Inventors: Ralf Vorndran, Wolfgang Danz, Friedrich Reiter, Andreas Piepenbrink, Andreas Schwenger
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Patent number: 6529782Abstract: The invention is based on a control method having a characteristic curve (1) defined by interpolation points (3, 4, 5, 6, 7), the characteristic curve being stored in an electronic processing unit. To control stability and with sufficient accuracy processes overridden by strong, time-variant disturbances, it is proposed that a characteristic line (1) is preset and adapted according to a system deviation and a ratio of the difference between a measured point (9) and an adjacent interpolation point (4, 5) and the difference between the two interpolation points (4, 5) adjacent to the measured point (9).Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2000Date of Patent: March 4, 2003Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Wolfgang Danz, Johannes Fischer
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Patent number: 6424901Abstract: Within the scope of the method for including the temperature in the calculation of the definite, operating-point dependent maximum and minimum adjustment speeds in a continuously variable belt-drive transmission, the actual limiting values for the maximum possible adjustment gradient are continuously calculated in every operating state by a physical-mathematical pattern wherein the hydraulic routes of the variator, the clutches integrated in the transmission and the lubrication are modeled as laminar inserts and the route of the control unit leakage as coupled laminar and turbulent hydraulic transmission elements.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2000Date of Patent: July 23, 2002Assignee: ZF Batavia L.L.C.Inventors: Ralf Vorndran, Wolfgang Danz, Friedrich Reiter, Andreas Piepenbrink, Andreas Schwenger
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Patent number: 6418366Abstract: Within the scope of the method for ratio control of a continuously variable automatic transmission of a motor vehicle by means of a control loop structure which contains a non-linear compensation member for the variator and controllers for the pressures of both hydraulic routes of the variator pulleys and the variator routes, the control loop structure contains an interference variable observer which generates an interference force FL that reproduces the pattern precision wherein the interference force together with the set value for the adjustment gradient which is limited as result of external standards, forms the compensation member.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2000Date of Patent: July 9, 2002Assignee: ZF Batavia, L.L.C.Inventors: Wolfgang Danz, Andreas Piepenbrink, Andreas Schwenger
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Patent number: 6370462Abstract: Within the scope of the process for control of vehicle acceleration for a motor vehicle having a continuously variable transmission, the vehicle acceleration is controlled by the ratio adjustment in the continuously variable automatic transmission with a pattern-based control addition using a status assessment method for assessing the output torque.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2000Date of Patent: April 9, 2002Assignee: ZF Friedrichschafen AGInventors: Patrick Speicher, Wolfgang Danz, Andreas Piepenbrink
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Patent number: 6311113Abstract: A method for ratio control for a continuously variable belt drive transmission with electrohydraulic control by means of a control loop with a linear PID controller with the theoretical ratio of the variator iv_theor.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2000Date of Patent: October 30, 2001Assignee: ZF Batavia, L.L.C.Inventors: Wolfgang Danz, Andreas Piepenbrink, Andreas Schwenger
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Patent number: 6216075Abstract: In the process according to the invention for predetermining the ratio of a continuously variable transmission (5), a dynamic driving range is generated. The actual, minimum and maximum acceleration (a_akt, a_min, a_max) is calculated. Further detected is the driver's wish to accelerate or to decelerate (a_fwu) and an acceleration (a_vorg) is determined. Also calculated is a change of ratio per time unit of the continuously variable transmission (iV_pkt), which is guided by the engine speed of rotation during adjustment of the continuously variable transmission (5).Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 1999Date of Patent: April 10, 2001Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Patrick Speicher, Ralf Vorndran, Wolfgang Danz, Udo Gillich
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Patent number: 6173227Abstract: The invention relates to a method of adjusting the transmission ratio of a continuously variable gear. The position of a current operating point (B_akt) in a predetermined driving range is constantly adjusted in accordance with the driving situation. The position of the operating point is also determined by range boundaries (UG, OG) which can be varied in accordance with the driving resistance and the driver's manner of driving. The method is characterized in that it simplifies development and application.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 1998Date of Patent: January 9, 2001Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Patrick Speicher, Udo Gillich, Wolfgang Danz, Ralf Vorndran
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Patent number: 5967918Abstract: For a CVT (3) a regulating system is proposed in which a corrector is located upstream of the control path. The disturbances and non-linearities in the control path (28) are taken into account in the corrector, via a mathematical model, so that the regulator can be designed as a simple PID regulator.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 1998Date of Patent: October 19, 1999Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Thomas Knapp, Wolfgang Danz
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Patent number: 5919244Abstract: The invention concerns a control system for shifting gears in an automatic shift transmission (3) by using fuzzy logic methods. Vehicle parameters form input variables (8) that are continuously detected by appropriate means (9). These input variables are further processed in downstream functional blocks (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17). Gearshifting points that ensure an economical driving are determined in the functional block (11) according to fuzzy logic methods. Besides a set of basic fuzzy logic generating rules, additional rules are used to improve driving. For that purpose, the input quantity "desired performance" is taken into consideration in both sets of rules. The desired performance may be a desired acceleration or a desired deceleration. A closed regulation circuit is formed by converting the fictitious quantity desired performance and the quantity driving manner to a physical quantity.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 1996Date of Patent: July 6, 1999Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Wolfgang Danz, Udo Gillich, Gerhard Eschrich, Wolfgang Runge
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Patent number: 5911770Abstract: The invention concerns a gear-change control systems (10) for an automatic transmission (3). Input variables, derived from a driver-vehicle system, are established. Output variables are established by fuzzy logic methods and used to determine a gear-change ratio. A fuzzy logic module, which imitates the operating method of a logical flip-flop and additionally permits continuous intermediate values, is used to consider driving states brought about by different situations.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 1996Date of Patent: June 15, 1999Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Wolfgang Danz, Gerhard Eschrich, Udo Gillich, Wolfgang Runge
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Patent number: 5609068Abstract: The proposal is for a process for controlling and regulating the load take-up in an automatic transmission. To this end, in an overlapping gear change, the torque take-up of a first engaging clutch is derived from feedback values. The feedback values control or regulate the operation of a second disengaging clutch.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 1995Date of Patent: March 11, 1997Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen ABInventors: Wolf-Dieter Gruhle, Peter Sigg, Harald Deiss, Manfred Schwab, Wolfgang Danz
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Patent number: 5557521Abstract: The invention concerns a control system (10) for changing automatic gears (3) that operates according to fuzzy logic methods. All the fuzzy-production rules are divided into at least three sections: a set of basic rules to determine the gear-changing point in a consumption-oriented driving style, a set of adaptation rules to modify the set of basic rules depending on a current driving style and an identification set of rules for classifying the driver according to his/her driving style. By way of a supplementary set of adaptation rules the set of basic rules can be additionally modified according to a current driving condition. Individual function blocks (11 to 15) operate preferably according to the same inference mechanism. Gamma operators are used in order to approximate as closely as possible human behavior. A process is proposed for generating membership functions to determine a running condition by fuzzy-production rules.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 1994Date of Patent: September 17, 1996Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Wolfgang Danz, Wolfgang Runge, Gerhard Eschrich, Udo Gillich