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DRIVE APPARATUS FOR A VEHICLE AXLE OF A VEHICLE

Publication No. EP4069541

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App No. EP20804201

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Filed by Audi AG

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Filed on 2020-11-09

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Issued/Published on 2026-01-07

Official EPO Register

Publication No. EP4069541 A1

Application No. EP20804201 Filed: 2020-11-09

Grant Date 2026-01-07 Mention of grant

Active Oppositions 1 Active EPO Oppositions

Patent Abstract / Summary

Patent abstract is being processed or was not provided in English by the publishing office.

IPC Classifications

B60K17/02, B60K17/12, B60K17/354, B60K17/356, B60K17/35, F16D11/10, B60K1/00

Priority Claims

DE 201910132591 Date: 2019-12-02

Designated Contracting States (38 EPC States)

AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

Parties & Representation

Applicants

Audi AG

85045 Ingolstadt

Inventors (1)

GEBHARD, Bastian

Am Sand 16, 92339 Beilngries

Representatives / Agents

Bierschneider, Walter

Neubauer - Liebl - Bierschneider - Massinger, Münchener Straße 49

ZF Friedrichshafen AG

Gewerblicher Rechtsschutz, Löwentalerstraße 20

Key Procedural Dates

Request-For-Examination 2022-07-04

Mention Of Grant Published 2026-01-07

First-Examination-Report-Despatched 2025-07-30

Legal Status & Event History

Official European Patent Office legal and procedural status changes recorded for this file.

37 Events Recorded

Date	Code	Event Description	Auth
2021-06-11	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2020-11-20	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2022-09-09	PUAI	PUBLIC REFERENCE MADE UNDER ARTICLE 153(3) EPC TO A PUBLISHED INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION THAT HAS ENTERED THE EUROPEAN PHASE	EP
2022-09-09	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2022-10-12	17P	REQUEST FOR EXAMINATION FILED	EP
2022-10-12	AK	DESIGNATED CONTRACTING STATES	EP
2023-03-08	DAX	REQUEST FOR EXTENSION OF THE EUROPEAN PATENT (DELETED)	EP
2023-03-08	DAV	REQUEST FOR VALIDATION OF THE EUROPEAN PATENT (DELETED)	EP
2023-07-12	P01	OPT-OUT OF THE COMPETENCE OF THE UNIFIED PATENT COURT (UPC) REGISTERED	EP
2025-07-29	GRAP	DESPATCH OF COMMUNICATION OF INTENTION TO GRANT A PATENT	EP
2025-07-29	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2025-09-03	INTG	INTENTION TO GRANT ANNOUNCED	EP
2025-11-26	GRAS	GRANT FEE PAID	EP
2025-12-05	GRAA	(EXPECTED) GRANT	EP
2025-12-05	STAA	INFORMATION ON THE STATUS OF AN EP PATENT APPLICATION OR GRANTED EP PATENT	EP
2026-01-07	AK	DESIGNATED CONTRACTING STATES	EP
2026-01-07	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-01-22	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-01-28	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-03-13	PLBI	OPPOSITION FILED	EP
2026-03-18	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-03-09	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-04-15	26	OPPOSITION FILED	EP
2026-05-13	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-06-15	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-07	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-10	REG	REFERENCE TO A NATIONAL CODE	EP
2026-07-09	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-11	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-10	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-14	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-15	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-17	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-18	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-24	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-07-28	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP
2026-10-06	PG25	LAPSED IN A CONTRACTING STATE [ANNOUNCED VIA POSTGRANT INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL OFFICE TO EPO]	EP

Patent & Non-Patent Citations

Cited documents and prior art referenced in search and examination reports.

9 Citations

Cited Patent Documents

DE202015000397 2015-05-06

Espacenet

EP2409873 2012-10-24

Espacenet

US2017167544 2017-06-15

Espacenet

DE102015010121 2017-02-09

Espacenet

DE102017204113 2018-09-13

Espacenet

DE102018114626 2018-12-27

Espacenet

DE112013003797 2017-07-27

Espacenet

DE102011010616 2012-01-26

Espacenet

DE102015210227 2016-12-08

Espacenet

Worldwide Patent Family

Related applications and patents in the same INPADOC worldwide family.

9 Family Members

Country	Publication Number	Kind	Publication Date	Action
EP	EP4069541A1	A1	2022-10-12	Espacenet
EP	EP4069541B1	B1	2026-01-07	Espacenet
CN	CN114761271A	A	2022-07-15	Espacenet
CN	CN114761271B	B	2026-01-27	Espacenet
DE	DE102019132591A1	A1	2021-06-02	Espacenet
DE	DE102019132591B4	B4	2024-05-16	Espacenet
US	US2023001785A1	A1	2023-01-05	Espacenet
US	US11951826B2	B2	2024-04-09	Espacenet
WO	WO2021110359A1	A1	2021-06-10	Espacenet

Official File Inspection EPC Art. 128 Public Dossier

Complete European Patent Register Dossier (148 Total Documents)

The full inspection file for Application EP20804201 contains 148 total documents, including all notices of opposition, proprietor counter-statements, examination communications, third-party observations, and procedural forms. Below are all major recorded procedural filings and publication specifications.

Open 148-Doc Register Dossier

Dossier Filing

Date: 2025-12-03 Procedure: Examination EPIDOSNRFE2

Inspect on Register

DRIVE APPARATUS FOR A VEHICLE AXLE OF A VEHICLE

Patent Abstract / Summary

IPC Classifications

Priority Claims

Designated Contracting States (38 EPC States)

Parties & Representation

Applicants

Inventors (1)

Representatives / Agents

Key Procedural Dates

Patent Oppositions

ZF Friedrichshafen AG

Legal Status & Event History

Patent & Non-Patent Citations

Cited Patent Documents

Worldwide Patent Family

Complete European Patent Register Dossier (148 Total Documents)

Recorded Filings & Patent Specifications

European Patent Specification - Granted Patent (B1)

Official European Patent Register Full Dossier

European Patent Application with Search Report (A1)

Lapse of the patent in a contracting state

Lapse of the patent in a contracting state

Lapse of the patent in a contracting state

Lapse of the patent in a contracting state

Lapse of the patent in a contracting state

Lapse of the patent in a contracting state

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(Expected) grant

New entry: Renewal fee paid

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New entry: Payment of fee for publishing/printing

New entry: Receipt of the translation of the claim(s)

Intention to grant the patent

New entry: Communication of intention to grant a patent

New entry: Renewal fee paid

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Publication in section I.1 EP Bulletin

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Request for examination filed

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Payment of national basic fee

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Date on which the examining division has become responsible

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New entry: applicant or inventor

PCT data prior to European publication

Validation of the patent

Extension of the patent

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International searching authority