IP Library Granted Patent US 12,722,447
Granted Patent B2
US 12,722,447 · App. 18/701,018 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Mechatronic chassis device for a motor vehicle

Inventors: Benjamin Grodde (Ravensburg, DE); Daniel Gagg (Meckenbeuren, DE)
Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
B60G21/106B60G17/019B60G2202/135B60G2202/422B60G2401/26B60G2800/012
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,722,447
App. No.
18/701,018
Granted
Sep 1, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed is a mechatronic chassis device ( 6 ) for a motor vehicle comprises a housing ( 7 ) and at least one functional element ( 11 ) in the housing ( 7 ). The device is characterized by means ( 14 ) for recognizing the ingress of a liquid medium into the housing ( 7 ).

Claims (22)

1 . A mechatronic chassis device for a motor vehicle, comprising:

a housing;

at least one functional element in the housing; and

means for recognizing an ingress of a liquid medium into the housing, the means using a plurality of measurement points distributed around a peripheral area of the housing, such that at least one of the plurality of measurement points is in a lower area of the housing regardless of a rotational orientation of the housing and/or the at least one functional element relative to a rotation axis.

2 . The mechatronic chassis device according to claim 1 , wherein the means for recognizing the ingress of the liquid medium comprise a sensor arrangement, which can be operated to monitor a filling level of the housing with an electrically conductive medium.

3 . The mechatronic chassis device according claim 1 , comprising a monitoring means having one or more measurement points extending in the housing, wherein the one or more measurement points is configured to determine an electrical conductivity.

4 . The mechatronic chassis device according to claim 3 , wherein each of the one or more measurement points extends from a measurement point on the functional element to the electrically conductive housing.

5 . The mechatronic chassis device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one functional element present in the housing comprises a printed circuit board configured for controlling and/or supplying energy to a further functional element present in the housing or for signal processing.

6 . The mechatronic chassis device according to claim 1 , wherein the functional element is divided into at least two areas electrically separated from one another.

7 . The mechatronic chassis device according to claim 1 , wherein the functional element comprises an edge section-on which is arranged at least one of the one or more measurement points in a spaced-apart arrangement.

8 . The mechatronic chassis device according to claim 1 , wherein the housing has a cylindrical shape that extends along a rotation axis.

9 . The mechatronic chassis device according to claim 1 , wherein the functional element is in the form of an essentially flat body fitted essentially perpendicularly to the rotation axis of the housing.

10 . The mechatronic chassis device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more measurement points is connected to an electrical voltage source—with the interposition of a first series resistor, and the housing is connected to the ground potential of the electrical voltage source, with the interposition of a second series resistor.

11 . The mechatronic chassis device according to claim 1 , further comprising a control unit configured to monitor the one or more measurement points for the electrical conductivity by monitoring the electric voltage between individual points of the one or more measurement points and the housing.

12 . The mechatronic chassis device according to claim 1 , further comprising a control unit operable to attribute a voltage drop at individual points of the one or more measurement points to below a specifiable threshold value to the event that a medium ingress into the housing has taken place, and to trigger a compensating reaction.

13 . The mechatronic chassis device according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more measurement points are arranged so that in the event of medium ingress, if a critical filling level of the housing with the liquid medium is reached, at least one of the one or more measurement points is immersed in the medium and in that way an electrical connection between an immersed measurement point and the housing is formed.

14 . The mechatronic chassis device according to claim 1 , comprising an actuator—for one or more of an adjustable roll stabilizer, a steering device, a brake device, and/or a sensor.

15 . The mechatronic chassis device according to claim 14 , comprising an electric motor and a transmission arranged in the housing with the functional element.

16 . An adjustable roll stabilizer for a motor vehicle, comprising:

two stabilizer sections configured to be coupled to wheel suspensions of associated wheels of the motor vehicle;

an actuator for one or more of an adjustable roll stabilizer, a steering device, a brake device, and/or a sensor; and

the mechatronic chassis device according to claim 1 with which the stabilizer sections can be rotated relative to one another about a rotation axis in order to influence a rolling behavior of the motor vehicle.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 12, 2024
From: GRODDE, BENJAMIN; GAGG, DANIEL
To: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
Reel/Frame 067091/0300 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2021 211 662.0 · Oct 15, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240399813A1 · Dec 5, 2024
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