Daimler Chrysler Ag

Mercedes-benz Aktiengesellschaft

Dittmar Wieland

Dieter Kandert

Michael Salecker

Roland Kemmler

Martin Matt

Markus Heinzel

Friedo Tinschert

Bertold Ediger

Albrecht Schaefer

Klaus Magg

Benjamin Kemmerer

Karl-Heinz Ilzhofer

J&uuml;rgen Braun

J&ouml;rg Abthoff

Juergen Braun

Martin Grillenberger

Harmut Albers

In a method for controlling the operating temperature of a hydraulic operating medium for a drive unit of a vehicle in a selected range, the operating temperature is controlled by controlling the volume flow of the operating medium for a heat exchange between the operating medium and a secondary heat transfer medium flow medium to a predetermined desired value as a function of the actual value of the operating temperature and as a function of at least one other vehicle parameter, by which a certain temperature influencing effect on the operating medium can be provided. The selected range of the operating temperature includes both the temperature values occurring in the warm-up phase of the drive unit and temperature values, which are substantially higher than the desired value.

Method and device for controlling the operating temperature of a hydraulic operating medium of a drive unit of a vehicle

A method for changing gear in an automated change-speed gearbox of a motor vehicle with an automated clutch arranged between an engine and the change-speed gearbox includes engaging the clutch up to a slip limit during a downshift from an original gear to a target gear to increase the rotational speed of an input shaft of the change-speed gearbox.

Automated change-speed gearbox and methods for changing gear in such a gearbox

A center bearing for a shaft, in particular a propeller shaft, has a rolling bearing arranged on the propeller shaft and a bearing housing surrounding the center bearing. A slide ring in which the rolling bearing is axially displaceable is arranged over the outer periphery of the rolling bearing. A decoupling element is arranged between the slide ring and the bearing housing.

Center bearing for a shaft

In known starting devices, an individual starter is provided which accelerates the internal combustion engine to only a relatively low rotational speed at which an initial injection with subsequent combustion takes place. During a cold start of the internal combustion engine, it is therefore absolutely necessary to provide a relatively rich fuel/air mixture for the initial injection. However, this results in a situation in which, during this phase, relatively high exhaust gas emissions, in particular of hydrocarbons, are produced, which cannot be controlled by a catalytic converter which is not yet at its operating temperature. In order to reduce the exhaust gas emissions, a starting device for an internal combustion engine is proposed which has two starters for starting the internal combustion engine, a first starter being activated at the beginning of the starting process and being deactivated after a specific rotational speed of the internal combustion engine has been reached, a second starter (,) being activated. The second starter subsequently drives the internal combustion engine further to a specific setpoint rotational speed, after which, when the setpoint rotational speed has been reached, an initial injection of fuel for subsequent combustion is carried out. The starting device according to the invention is provided for internal combustion engines of vehicles.

Starting device for an internal combustion engine and method for starting the internal combustion engine

A two-part hollow drive shaft for motor vehicles in a light-weight construction, having two shaft sections and a total of three cardan joints, with a pivot bearing being arranged close to the center cardan joint. For compensating load-change-caused distance changes of the rearward cardan joint from the pivot bearing, a length compensation is provided in the second shaft section. The first shaft section is axially divided in the proximity of the pivot bearing in order to be able to mount the bearing element. For designing the drive shaft to be as light as possible and for being able to produce it at reasonable cost, the center cardan joint is constructed as a disk joint with a flexible ring disk arranged perpendicularly to the axis of rotation. Furthermore, the rearward cardan joint is constructed as a homokinetic cardan joint in a construction which permits an axial length compensation so that a separate length compensation in the rearward shaft section is not necessary. In the area of the axial division of the first shaft section, one toothing respectively with radially extending teeth which toothings engage in one another in a mutually centering and non-rotatable manner is worked onto mutually facing front sides of the hollow shaft, which toothing can be axially braced by a screwed connection arranged in the interior of the hollow shaft. As an alternative, the shaft can be welded at this point also after the mounting of the bearing.

Drive shaft

A drive shaft with an endless-fiber-reinforced plastic tube made of a thermosetting plastic matrix material and with a joint-connecting body that is connected nonrotatably with a plastic tube by means of a pin inserted into the plastic tube. The drive shaft is intended to be capable of being manufactured universally in large quantities efficiently and in different lengths for use, and can also handle severe loads mechanically even at high operating temperatures. For this purpose, an internal layer with axially aligned fibers or fiber strands, preferably made of carbon, is provided in the plastic tube, on which at least one double layer with fibers arranged inclined symmetrically to the axial direction is applied. The plastic tube is provided internally with axially aligned profiling that remains constant over the entire length of the plastic tube and is formed of the matrix material, in the manner of a spline bore. The pin, provided on its outer circumference with a negatively shaped matching opposite profile, engages positively by a sliding fit or gentle press fit in the internal profile of the plastic tube. The pin is also secured in the plastic tube in the axial direction by gluing or by a locking connection using a snap ring.

Drive shaft with reinforced plastic tube and a joint-connecting body

Growing community of inventors

Oppenweiler, Germany

Dittmar Wieland