Patents Examined by David J Hlavka
  • Patent number: 11035419
    Abstract: A multi-plate clutch includes a plate fin and first and second flanges connected to one another in a torque-transmitting manner via the plate fin. A screw fastener braces the plate fin on a first lamellar bore with the first flange, and a first spacer element is arranged on the plate fin to support a first axial movement of the second flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: FLENDER GMBH
    Inventors: Stefan Kleinewegen, Jens Steggemann
  • Patent number: 11034354
    Abstract: A start control device is a start control device that controls start of a vehicle including a clutch that is engaged by the hydraulic pressure supplied from a hydraulic pressure supply source and a start device that starts a vehicle driving source, and includes: a hydraulic pressure control unit that controls so that the hydraulic pressure supply source supplies the hydraulic pressure to the clutch if a start condition for the vehicle is satisfied; and a start device control unit that controls the start device so that the rotation speed of the vehicle driving source reaches the predetermined rotation speed after the clutch is engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaya Agata, Shuji Kamata
  • Patent number: 11028885
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a clutch assembly which is comprised of (1) a cam plate which includes cams which are spaced about a central axis; (2) a rocker plate which includes at least one pocket, wherein the pocket includes a first rocker plate engagement surface and a second rocker plate engagement surface; and (3) at least one rocker which is pivotally situated within the pocket of the rocker plate, (4) a first solenoid, and (5) a second solenoid, wherein the solenoids can be activated or deactivated to allow for the clutch to be in a neutral position (to allow for free rotation in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions), to prevent rotation in a clockwise direction while allowing for free rotation in a counterclockwise direction, or to prevent rotation in a counterclockwise direction while allowing for free rotation in a clockwise direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: KEYSTONE POWDERED METAL COMPANY
    Inventors: Bradley Reiter, Gary L. Anderson
  • Patent number: 11028904
    Abstract: A transmission (G) for a motor vehicle. The transmission (G) comprises a transmission input (GW1-A), a transmission output (GW2-A), first, second, third and fourth planetary gearsets (P1, P2, P3, P4) and first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth shift elements (B1, B2, K1, K2, K3, K4). Ten forward gears and one reverse gear can be achieved between the transmission input (GW1-A) and the transmission output (GW2-A) by selectively operating the six shift elements (B1, B2, K1, K2, K3, K4). A drive train for a motor vehicle having such a transmission (G) is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Inventors: Stefan Beck, Johannes Kaltenbach, Michael Wechs, Michael Trübenbach, Kai Bornträger, Johannes Glückler, Jens Moraw, Gerhard Niederbrucker, Peter Ziemer
  • Patent number: 11022044
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine including: an engine core including turbine, compressor, and core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor; a fan; an epicyclic gearbox that: (i) receives input from the core shaft to drive the fan at a lower rotational speed than the core shaft, and (ii) includes a sun gear, ring gear, planet carrier, and planet gears; and a gearbox support. The gearbox has a cross sectional area greater than or equal to 2.4×10?1 m2. A first gearbox support strength ratio of: torsional ? ? strength ? ? of ? ? gearbox ? ? support radial ? ? bending ? ? stiffness ? ? of ? ? gearbox ? ? support ? × cross ? ? sectional ? ? area ? ? of ? ? gearbox is greater than or equal to 7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Mark Spruce
  • Patent number: 11022185
    Abstract: A pressure control valve (1) includes a pressure port (P), a consumer port (A), a tank port (T), and a piston (K) which is displaceable counter to the force of a first spring (F1) and a second spring (F2). The springs (F1, F2) and area ratios of the pressure control valve (1) are designed such that the pressure port (P), in the non-pressurized condition, is connected to the consumer port (A) via an opening cross-section of the pressure control valve (1). An opening cross-section between the pressure port (P) and the consumer port (A) decreases depending on the pressure at the consumer port (A), and, upon attainment of a limiting pressure at the consumer port (A), the consumer port (A) is connected to the tank port (T). A related hydraulic system (HY) and a related motor vehicle transmission (G) are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Karsten Kudermann, Rainer Novak, Tobias Pfleger, Markus Moosmann
  • Patent number: 11022190
    Abstract: A vehicle control device for a vehicle with a drive source and an automatic transmission including a friction engaging element for transmitting a driving force of the drive source to drive wheels by being engaged by a hydraulic pressure, wherein the vehicle control device is configured to perform an abnormality diagnosis of a solenoid valve for adjusting a hydraulic pressure to be supplied to the friction engaging element on the basis of a slip amount of the friction engaging element, and prohibit the abnormality diagnosis of the solenoid valve if a hydraulic pressure upstream of the solenoid valve is below a predetermined hydraulic pressure at which the friction engaging element is engaged, the hydraulic pressure upstream of the solenoid being a source hydraulic pressure to be adjusted by the solenoid valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignees: JATCO LTD, NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Ichikawa, Tomoaki Kabe, Kosuke Abe
  • Patent number: 11015689
    Abstract: A gearbox includes an input gear supported for rotation about an input axis and includes first and second idler gears fixedly coupled to each other and supported for rotation about a transfer axis. The first idler gear is fixedly coupled to the input gear. A planetary gear set is supported for rotation about an output axis of the gearbox and has a first component fixedly coupled to the second idler gear. A differential is supported for rotation about the output axis, co-axial with the planetary gear set, and fixedly coupled to a second component of the planetary gear set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven Isaac Klurfeld, Steven Anatole Frait
  • Patent number: 11009107
    Abstract: An infinitely variable multi-epicyclic friction transmission system for an electric motor, the system comprising: a main shaft; a motor drum comprising two cylindrically shaped half-drums disposed axially around the main shaft and separated by a longitudinal gap, the half-drums configured to bear a series of inverted vee-rings splined on an outer circumferential surface of the half-drums so as to be configured to slide longitudinally along the half-drums; a rotor configured to be accommodated in a cavity defined by the half-drums, the rotor comprising a rotor carrier driver configured to be disposed in the longitudinal gap for rotating at least one planetary carrier about the main shaft; a plurality of twin planetary cone assemblies attached to the at least one planetary carrier and disposed circumferentially around the two half-drums, each twin planetary cone assembly comprising: a torque tube and a planetary cone-hemisphere structure provided at each end of the torque tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Inventor: Aidan McAnulla
  • Patent number: 11009089
    Abstract: Described herein is a system, method of use and Self Retracting Lifeline (SRL) apparatus using a system that governs a dynamic response between members causing a halt in relative motion between the members. Magnetic interactions, eddy current drag forces and centrifugal and/or inertial forces may provide various mechanisms of governing movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Eddy Current Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Christopher James Allington, Andrew Karl Diehl, Kevin A. Wright, Weston Hill, Dave Walters
  • Patent number: 11009098
    Abstract: Blade and spring damper apparatus for use with vehicle torque converters are disclosed. A disclosed vehicle torque converter includes a housing, a hub, a clutch including a piston in the housing, and a damper assembly operatively interposed between the clutch and the hub. The damper assembly includes a blade damper having a blade and a roller engaging the blade. Movement of the roller relative to the blade bends and unbends the blade. The damper assembly also includes a spring damper connected to the blade damper. The spring damper includes a first spring damper portion, a second spring damper portion, and a spring between the first and second spring damper portions. Movement of the first spring damper portion relative to the second spring damper portion compresses and decompresses the spring. The blade damper and the spring damper, together, are configured to dampen a torsional vibration received by the housing when the clutch is engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Valeo Kapec CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Subramanian Jeyabalan, Sungchul Lee, Vijayakumar Velayudham, Xuexian Yin
  • Patent number: 11008113
    Abstract: A clutch that has a synchronizer for matching a rotational velocity of a drive input with a rotational velocity of a driven output prior to engagement of a locking mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Charles Hubert Speller
  • Patent number: 10995835
    Abstract: An electric drive axle assembly of a vehicle includes an electric motor having an output shaft. At least one of a gear and a planetary gear assembly is coupled to the output shaft of the electric motor. The at least one of the gear and the planetary gear assembly is coupled to a differential mechanism configured to transfer torque to two axle shafts of the vehicle. The electric drive axle assembly configured to produce a plurality of speed ratios between the electric motor and the differential mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Dana Automotive Systems Group, LLC
    Inventor: Eric M. Engerman
  • Patent number: 10994608
    Abstract: In an electric oil pump device including a drive power source and a gear device through which a vehicle drive force of the drive power source is transmitted, the electric oil pump device delivering a lubricant oil to the gear device, and generating a hydraulic pressure for controlling the gear device, a pump portion for delivering the lubricant oil, a motor portion for operating the pump portion, and a driver portion for controlling an operation of the motor portion are included. The pump portion, motor portion and driver portion are formed integrally with each other, or the driver portion is disposed adjacent to the motor portion. The pump portion and a part or an entirety of the motor portion are disposed within a space defined by an oil pan and a casing accommodating the gear device, and the driver portion is disposed outside the casing and the oil pan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshihiko Kamiya
  • Patent number: 10995834
    Abstract: A gear transmission device includes a frame, a sun gear including a first shaft having a first axis, a driven gear, a planet gear movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position and including a second shaft having a second axis, an auxiliary gear including a third shaft, a first guide portion to guide the second shaft, and a second guide portion to guide the third shaft. At least a portion of the third shaft is positioned opposite to the driven gear relative to a first imaginary line passing the first axis and the second axis of the planet gear located at the disengaged position. As the sun gear rotates with the auxiliary gear in mesh with the planet gear, the third shaft moves with contacting a guide surface and the second shaft moves in a direction opposite to a direction in which the third shaft moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshiya Tomatsu
  • Patent number: 10988020
    Abstract: A drivetrain module for a motor vehicle having a clutch with an input area and an output area. A mutual rotational driving of the input area and output area is influenceable by the action of the clutch. The clutch has a clutch housing with a clutch space formed therein. The input area and the output area are arranged at least partially in the clutch space. The clutch space is filled and is closed to be tight against fluid relative to a surrounding area of the clutch space. The clutch has a pressure compensation device for compensation of a pressure difference acting between the clutch space and the surrounding area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Alexander Markow, Gerald Viernekes
  • Patent number: 10982725
    Abstract: A switchable ratcheting clutch achieves four different modes of operation based on a relative rotational position of a cam ring and an inner ring. In a central relative position, an outer ring can rotate freely in either direction with respect to the inner ring. In either extreme relative position, the outer ring is prevented from rotating in either direction relative to the inner ring. In intermediate positions one either side of the central position, the outer ring is permitted to rotate in one direction but not the other. A number of pawls are supported on the inner ring and pushed radially out of engagement with the outer ring by a spring on a spring cage. The spring cage moves with the cam ring between the one-way positions but the cam ring rotates relative to the spring cage when moving into the extreme positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Peter Burke
  • Patent number: 10982760
    Abstract: An actuator arrangement for a motor vehicle transmission includes a pump device, a shifting interface, and a switching logic device. The pump device has a pump for fluidic actuation of a clutch, and an electric motor for driving the pump. The shifting interface is connected to the pump device for actuating the motor vehicle transmission. The shifting interface has at least one of a shift lever, a shifting pawl mechanism, or a shifting shaft. The switching logic device is arranged between the shifting interface and the pump device. The pump device is arranged to actuate the shifting interface sequentially with respect to the clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Yunfan Wei, Marco Grethel
  • Patent number: 10982696
    Abstract: An automobile vehicle transmission air vent system includes a first component of a vehicle transmission having a resilient material seal member retained in a cavity created in the first component. A second component of a metal material includes a vent groove facing toward the seal member. A clutch pack of the vehicle transmission is actuated by one of the first component or the second component being displaced into engagement with the clutch pack. The vent groove receives a portion of the seal member in a first displaced position of the displaced one of the first component or the second component defining an air and oil flow path through the vent groove between the first component and the second component. The seal member is positioned outside of the vent groove in a second displaced position of the displaced one of the first component or the second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Scott Heitzenrater
  • Patent number: 10975957
    Abstract: A shift-by-wire system comprising one or more touch sensitive displays, a memory, one or more processors, and one or more modules stored in the memory. The one or more modules are comprised of instructions executable by one or more processors to display a gear selection indicator at a predefined region. The gear selection indicator is displayed in a predefined region as instructed by the transmission control unit. The processor detects a contact with the one or more touch sensitive displays at the predefined region corresponding to a gear selection indicator and determines a gesture performed by a user to associate the gesture with a gear selection. An output signal is then transmitted to the transmission control unit corresponding the gear selection and affects a vehicle transmission. The newly selected gear is then displayed via the gear selection indicator on the predefined region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Inventor: Pedro Jose Albaladejo Perez