Patents by Inventor Wolfgang Kleiner

Wolfgang Kleiner 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).

  • Publication number: 20210093810
    Abstract: Provided is a miniaturized inhalation device for inhaling at least one active ingredient through the nose, including: a U-shaped component and a first and second elongate reservoir portion which each have a cavity for receiving an active ingredient and being configured to be introduced into a nostril. The cavities each have an opening on the top side through which the active ingredient can exit from the corresponding cavity. The inhalation device also has a curved bracket portion which integrally connects the first and the second elongate reservoir portion and extends at least in a base region of the U-shaped component, and a self-holding mechanism to be held against the nose, and an integral clamping projection is arranged on the inside in the region of the first and the second elongate reservoir portion. A set comprising at least one inhalation device and one storage container may also be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: Wolfgang Kleiner, Vinh-Nghi Tiet, Manfred Wollmershäuser
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8894317
    Abstract: A ball joint with a housing formed entirely by a cold forming method. The housing having an inner chamber for receiving the joint ball of a ball pin and an opening through which the ball pin extends, and a contact area on the outer surface area of the housing forms a seal with a bellows. A forming section of the housing secures the joint ball within the inner chamber such that the joint pall can both rotate and pivot. Following completion of the housing, the material displaced during the cold forming method creates the forming section of the housing. The method for producing a ball joint comprises the steps of producing a metallic housing blank with a thickening formed by compression, forming the outer contour of the housing by compression, shaping the inner contour of the housing through dishing, and using the displaced material for creating the forming section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Dirk Maehlmann, Frank Schmeink, Benjamin Ziebart, Horst Pott, Christian Rziczny, Michael Heuer Gen Hallmann, Philippe Milos, Wolfgang Kleiner, Reinhard Buhl, Jurgen Schmitz
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20110293359
    Abstract: A ball joint with a housing formed entirely by a cold forming method. The housing having an inner chamber for receiving the joint ball of a ball pin and an opening through which the ball pin extends, and a contact area on the outer surface area of the housing forms a seal with a bellows. A forming section of the housing secures the joint ball within the inner chamber such that the joint pall can both rotate and pivot. Following completion of the housing, the material displaced during the cold forming method creates the forming section of the housing. The method for producing a ball joint comprises the steps of producing a metallic housing blank with a thickening formed by compression, forming the outer contour of the housing by compression, shaping the inner contour of the housing through dishing, and using the displaced material for creating the forming section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Dirk Mahlmann, Frank Schmeink, Benjamin Ziebart, Horst Pott, Christian Rziczny, Michael Heuer Gen Hallmann, Philippe Milos, Wolfgang Kleiner, Reinhard Buhl, Jurgen Schmitz
  • Publication number: 20090016809
    Abstract: A joint arrangement (8) is provided with a joint (15; 22), which can be stressed at least axially and on bending. The joint has an outer joint shell (17; 25) and an inner joint body (16; 23) that is movable in relation thereto. The joint axis (A1) is located at a spaced location (e) from the central axis (A2) located centrally in the joint (15; 22).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventors: Reinhard Buhl, Wolfgang Kleiner
  • Publication number: 20080231010
    Abstract: A motor vehicle chassis has, on at least one axle, a control arm (7) guiding and/or carrying a wheel each and at least one wheel carrier (3) connected movably to this and to the wheel (5). A connection is provided between the control arm (7) and the wheel carrier (3) including a joint and/or bearing arrangement (8) designed such that at least one pin (12), which points rigidly upward from the wheel carrier (3), and which is held at a mount associated with the control arm (7) in an articulated manner, is associated with the wheel carrier (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Reinhard Buhl, Wolfgang Kleiner
  • Patent number: 6773196
    Abstract: A joint housing (1) has a housing recess (2), a pivot pin (4), mounted in the housing recess. The pivot pin has a joint ball (3) provided with a surface protection. A pin section protrudes from a housing opening (18), with a bearing shell (5) arranged between the joint housing and the joint ball, and with a closing ring (7), which closes the housing recess of the joint housing and tensions the bearing shell arranged therein in the joint housing. The closing ring follows essentially with its inner contour the outer contour of the bearing shell due to a bevel or a radius formed. The closing ring (7) to be inserted into the joint housing is fixed in its position in the joint housing (1) and has a sealing lip (17) which is in contact with the joint ball (3) under elastic pretension on the side of the housing opening (18) through which the pin section of the pivot pin (4) protrudes from the joint housing (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: ZF Lemförder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Klaus Bröker, Martin Rechtien, Wolfgang Kleiner, Reinhard Buhl
  • Patent number: 6688799
    Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint is provided with a joint housing which is open on at least one side with a housing recess, with a joint pin mounted in the housing recess with its joint ball provided with a surface protection. A pin section projects from a housing opening. A bearing shell is arranged between the joint housing and the joint ball. A sealing bellows is provided between the joint housing and the joint pin. A sealing element, which is under elastic pretension in sliding contact with the joint ball, is arranged between the joint housing and the joint ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: ZF Lemforder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Klaus Bröker, Reinhard Buhl, Wolfgang Kleiner, Martin Rechtien
  • Publication number: 20030077114
    Abstract: The present invention pertains to a ball-and-socket joint, comprising a joint housing 1 with a housing recess 2, a pivot pin 4, which is mounted in the housing recess with its joint ball 3 provided with a surface protection, and whose pin section protrudes from a housing opening 18, with a bearing shell 5 arranged between the joint housing and the joint ball, and with a closing ring 7, which closes the housing recess of the joint housing and tensions the bearing shell arranged therein in the joint housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Inventors: Klaus Brker, Martin Rechtien, Wolfgang Kleiner, Reinhard Buhl
  • Publication number: 20020154941
    Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint is provided with a joint housing which is open on at least one side with a housing recess, with a joint pin mounted in the housing recess with its joint ball provided with a surface protection. A pin section projects from a housing opening. A bearing shell is arranged between the joint housing and the joint ball. A sealing bellows is provided between the joint housing and the joint pin. A sealing element, which is under elastic pretension in sliding contact with the joint ball, is arranged between the joint housing and the joint ball.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Inventors: Klaus Broker, Reinhard Buhl, Wolfgang Kleiner, Martin Rechtien
  • Patent number: 6302615
    Abstract: A ball-and-socket joint preferably for vehicle suspensions or steerings of motor vehicles with a joint housing, with a housing cover closing the joint housing on one side, and with a pivot pin, which is mounted rotatably and deflectably in at least one bearing shell using a spherical bearing surface, is described. The bearing shell is in turn stationarily fixed in the joint housing and an elastic buffer element (6) is arranged on the outside of the joint housing (3) facing away from the pivot pin (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: ZF Lemforder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Kleiner, Klaus Bröker
  • Patent number: 5601026
    Abstract: A linear drive system has a guide rail and a transport device that is moveable along the guide rail. At least one tubular, flexible hollow body is positioned along the extension of the guide rail. The hollow body consists essentially of an elastomeric material and has a first and a second end. The at least one hollow body is loadable with a pressure medium from the first or the second end. At least one squeezing roller is rotatably connected to the transport device for forcing sealingly the at least one hollow body against a counter element. The guide rail consists essentially of a flexible elastomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: Continental Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Fritz Rothemeyer, Harald Kranz, Stefan Wode, Wolfgang Kleiner, Rainer Alles, Roland Merten, Dieter Landweer
  • Patent number: 5419214
    Abstract: A mounting for a shift lever (1) for the mechanical remote control of a selector shaft of a gear change box in motor vehicles, in which the shift lever (1) is mounted pivotably around a selection axis and around a shifting axis, which is at right angles thereto, by means of a spherical part (2) of a universal joint in a bearing box (4) in a housing (3) that is a rigid part of the body, and is connected by coupling members (7, 16) to a sliding selector shaft of a gear change box. The coupling members for transmitting the movement of the shift lever to the sliding selector shaft are connected, articulated around an axle (9, 12) each, to the spherical part (2) of a universal joint, wherein the axle extends in one pivoting plane of the shift lever (1) at right angles to the pivot axis of the shift lever in the other direction of pivoting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1995
    Assignee: Lemforder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Reinhard Buhl, Wolfgang Kleiner, Volker Grube, Alfons Nordloh, Metin Ersoy
  • Patent number: 5104136
    Abstract: A steering tie rod or similar strut for motor vehicles with a securing member (4) acting in the longitudinal direction of the steering tie rod is described, which securing member comes into action when a defined, axially acting load value is exceeded. In another variant of the present invention, the length of the steering tie rod may undergo a limited change after the securing member has been overcome, so that limited fitness for use of the vehicle is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1992
    Assignee: Lemforder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Reinhard Buhl, Burkhard Schafer, Paul Westphal, Wolfgang Kleiner, Volker Grube
  • Patent number: 5092704
    Abstract: To improve the corrosion protection at the connection site of the sealing cuff and the ball pivot, it is proposed, in a design in which the sealing cuff engages with an edge profile in a complementary profile of a retaining ring rigidly attached to the ball pivot, that at least the part (12) of the retaining ring (10) which is supported by the edge of the bearing lug (6) consists of a material whose value in the electrochemical series is lower than that of the material of the bearing lug (6) and of the ball pivot (2). By this construction the material of the retaining ring acts as an electrolytic sacrificial anode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1992
    Assignee: Lemforder Metallwaren AG
    Inventors: Reinhard Buhl, Wolfgang Kleiner