Patents by Inventor Wolfgang Eulerich

Wolfgang Eulerich 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: 11815128
    Abstract: A ball joint, in particular a chassis joint, which has a housing and a ball socket that comprises a ball bearing section for receiving a joint ball. An anti-rotation member prevents movement of the ball socket within the housing. To improve operational performance of the ball joint, the anti-rotation member is formed by a connecting element of the housing and a mating connecting element of the ball socket. The connecting elements have corresponding holding profiles so that, in an assembled condition, the connecting elements form a shape-enclosing plug-in connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Michael Hahn, Wolfgang Eulerich, Manfred Heidemann
  • Patent number: 11414144
    Abstract: A method for producing a vehicle component (10), in which a joint housing (1) is inserted in a predetermined insertion direction (13) into a through-hole (12) of a structural component (11). The insertion of the joint housing (1) into the through-hole (12) in the insertion direction (13) terminates when an stop element (6) of the joint housing (1) abuts against the structural component (11). After the insertion, the joint housing (1) is connected to the structural component (11) in a materially-merged manner. To reduce the complexity and/or the production costs, the method includes the joint housing (1) being inserted into the through-hole (12) with its housing bottom (4) first.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Marcel Ahlbrand, Wolfgang Eulerich
  • Publication number: 20220003266
    Abstract: A ball joint, in particular a chassis joint, which has a housing and a ball socket that comprises a ball bearing section for receiving a joint ball. An anti-rotation member prevents movement of the ball socket within the housing. To improve operational performance of the ball joint, the anti-rotation member is formed by a connecting element of the housing and a mating connecting element of the ball socket. The connecting elements have corresponding holding profiles so that, in an assembled condition, the connecting elements form a shape-enclosing plug-in connection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Michael HAHN, Wolfgang EULERICH, Manfred HEIDEMANN
  • Publication number: 20210147019
    Abstract: A method for producing a vehicle component (10), in which a joint housing (1) is inserted in a predetermined insertion direction (13) into a through-hole (12) of a structural component (11). The insertion of the joint housing (1) into the through-hole (12) in the insertion direction (13) terminates when an stop element (6) of the joint housing (1) abuts against the structural component (11). After the insertion, the joint housing (1) is connected to the structural component (11) in a materially-merged manner. To reduce the complexity and/or the production costs, the method includes the joint housing (1) being inserted into the through-hole (12) with its housing bottom (4) first.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2018
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Marcel AHLBRAND, Wolfgang EULERICH
  • Patent number: 10570951
    Abstract: A method of producing a chassis module (1) with a structural component (3) having a through-going aperture (5) into which a ball joint housing (7) is inserted. An outer periphery of the ball joint housing (7) is connected all round to an edge section (9) of the aperture (5) by a first material-cohesive joining (11) without a filler. In order to stabilize the ball joint housing (7) in the aperture (5), the ball joint housing (7) is additionally connected all round to an inner wall section (13) of the aperture (5) at a location spaced away from the edge section (9), by a second material-cohesive joining (15) without a filler. The chassis module (1) is produced by the method, and the chassis module is in the form of a flanged connector (1) or a multi-point link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Eulerich, Andreas Welzel, Guido Kohlbrecher
  • Publication number: 20180163775
    Abstract: A ball joint having a housing, an opening and an inner circumferential surface facing the opening and extending around a longitudinal axis. The housing holds a ball socket that opens toward the opening and has an overlap region that is inclined radially inward, in the direction of the opening, and which, with the circumferential surface, delimits an annular space. A ball pin having a joint ball is mounted in the socket and extends out of the housing through the opening. A locking ring is inserted into the annular space and fixed axially between the socket and an inner shoulder located adjacent the opening. An outer circumferential surface of the locking ring abuts the circumferential surface and a surface which abuts an area of the overlap region and which is inclined inwardly toward the longitudinal axis in the direction of the pin opening. The locking ring is an open ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Jürgen GRÄBER, Harold HOPKINSON, Wolfgang EULERICH
  • Publication number: 20170129040
    Abstract: A method of producing a chassis component which includes a housing that is connected to a structural component by a weld. A receiving opening is formed in the structural component and the housing is pushed into the receiving opening, where a surface on the housing and a surface on the structural component are in contact with one another. At least one of the two surfaces in contact is formed as an oblique surface relative to the other of the two surfaces so that, before welding, a line contact exists between the two surfaces. Alternatively, the receiving opening in the structural component can be made slightly undersize relative to the housing geometry that is pushed into the receiving opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Wolfgang EULERICH, Andreas WELZEL, Guido KOHLBRECHER
  • Publication number: 20160281772
    Abstract: A method of producing a chassis module (1) with a structural component (3) having a through-going aperture (5) into which a ball joint housing (7) is inserted. An outer periphery of the ball joint housing (7) is connected all round to an edge section (9) of the aperture (5) by a first material-cohesive joining (11) without a filler. In order to stabilize the ball joint housing (7) in the aperture (5), the ball joint housing (7) is additionally connected all round to an inner wall section (13) of the aperture (5) at a location spaced away from the edge section (9), by a second material-cohesive joining (15) without a filler. The chassis module (1) is produced by the method, and the chassis module is in the form of a flanged connector (1) or a multi-point link.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Wolfgang EULERICH, Andreas WELZEL, Guido KOHLBRECHER
  • Patent number: 9175720
    Abstract: A ball joint with a ball pin and a steel ball pin with a joint ball. The ball joint and ball pin are suitable for use when, for example, solid-on-solid friction predominates under high static pre-loading or high operational loads and with small joint movements. A portion of the surface of the ball pin has surface layer hardening in order to increase a fatigue strength of the ball pin. The ball pin and the ball joint, on portion of the ball pin without the any surface layer hardened, includes a nitrided layer as wear protection. The ball pin and the ball joint provide an advantageous combination of high fatigue strength, good corrosion protection and high wear-resistance. The nitrided layer of ball joints, previously only regarded as improving corrosion protection, also functions as a wear protection. Thus, these ball pins overcome the mutual exclusion between surface layer hardening and nitriding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Dirk Adamczyk, Wolfgang Kleiner, Klaus Pape, Wolfgang Eulerich, Martin Rechtien, Thomas Wiegmann, Manfred Heidemann, Jochen Kruse, Johannes Tabor, Rainer Jasper, Ulrich Schefzyk
  • Publication number: 20130071175
    Abstract: A ball joint with a ball pin and a steel ball pin with a joint ball. The ball joint and ball pin are suitable for use when, for example, solid-on-solid friction predominates under high static pre-loading or high operational loads and with small joint movements. A portion of the surface of the ball pin has surface layer hardening in order to increase a fatigue strength of the ball pin. The ball pin and the ball joint, on portion of the ball pin without the any surface layer hardened, includes a nitrided layer as wear protection. The ball pin and the ball joint provide an advantageous combination of high fatigue strength, good corrosion protection and high wear-resistance. The nitrided layer of ball joints, previously only regarded as improving corrosion protection, also functions as a wear protection. Thus, these ball pins overcome the mutual exclusion between surface layer hardening and nitriding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Dirk Adamczyk, Wolfgang Kleiner, Klaus Pape, Wolfgang Eulerich, Martin Rechtien, Thomas Wiegmann, Manfred Heidemann, Jochen Kruse, Johannes Tabor, Rainer Jasper, Ulrich Schefzyk