Patents Examined by Edwin Young
  • Patent number: 12000477
    Abstract: The invention relates to the actuation of a converter lock-up clutch (44) of a hydrodynamic torque converter (4) in a vehicle drive-train by means of a safety function where, in addition to a driving strategy function, the safety function can actuate the converter lock-up clutch (44) by issuing a clutch actuation command. For this purpose, at least one rotation speed at the torque converter (4) is monitored. If the monitored rotation speed is below a rotation speed threshold, the safety function commands an actuation of the converter lock-up clutch (44) in its opening direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Christoph Hess, Jörg Arnold, Jens Weller
  • Patent number: 12000478
    Abstract: A method of controlling a four wheel drive (4WD) low range shift in a vehicle is provided. The vehicle has a powertrain including a transmission that drives a transmission output shaft to provide drive torque to a driveline including a power transfer unit (PTU) that delivers torque to front drive wheels and a rear differential unit (RDU) that delivers torque to rear drive wheels. The PTU and RDU are selectively rotatably coupled to each other through a propeller (prop) shaft. The PTU and the RDU are commanded into a neutral position. A clutch at the RDU is commanded to selectively engage to a degree that communicates a desired amount of torque from the prop shaft to the RDU. A determination is made that an output speed of the transmission output shaft is synchronized to match a speed of the RDU and the RDU is commanded to shift into 4WD low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventor: Frank C Thompson, IV
  • Patent number: 11994210
    Abstract: A method for controlling the acceleration of a vehicle includes: receiving a demand for acceleration from an operator input device; applying an initial transmission ratio to provide a vehicle acceleration whilst maintaining a current engine speed; and applying a loading transmission ratio to increase the output from the engine, wherein the loading transmission ratio is determined using the vehicle acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: J. C. Bamford Excavators Limited
    Inventors: Thomas George Sutton, Lawrence Lyndon Helmick
  • Patent number: 11993243
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an all-wheel drive vehicle that includes (i) a power source, (ii) a power distribution device for distributing a power from the power source to front and rear wheels, (iii) a differential limiting mechanism for placing the power distribution device in a differential limiting state in which a rotational difference between the front wheels and the rear wheels is limited, and (iv) a braking device for applying a wheel braking torque to each of the front and rear wheels. When the power distribution device is placed in the differential limiting state and the wheel braking torque is applied to each of the front wheels and the rear wheels, a torque limiting control is executed for setting an upper limit value of a torque of the power source to a smaller value when the wheel braking torque is large than when the wheel braking torque is small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Atsushi Kawamata
  • Patent number: 11993139
    Abstract: A compact drive 1 has a housing 3 with two electric motors 5 and 31 therein and a transmission 9 provided with a differential 9 via which the electric motors are connected to output shafts 13. The transmission 9 further has a first switchable planetary gear set 17, which is present between the differential and the electric motors, and two second switchable planetary gear sets 23 located between the differential and the output shafts. One rotation body of these gear sets can be connected via a brake to the housing 3 and via a coupling to another of the rotation bodies. The brake and the clutch can only be operated simultaneously in such a way that when the brake is energized, the clutch is opened and vice versa. The output shafts, the electric motors and the transmission are concentric and the housing is cylindrical for a compact and robust construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Inventor: Leonardus Gijsbertus Cornelis Lauwers
  • Patent number: 11988231
    Abstract: A diagnostic device diagnoses a hydraulic pressure control actuator which drives a line pressure control valve to regulate a pressure of hydraulic oil between upper and lower limit line pressures, so that the pressure approaches a predetermined target line pressure. The diagnostic device includes: an actual hydraulic pressure detection unit to detect an actual hydraulic pressure; a determination value setting unit to set a high pressure fixation determination value which is increased as the driving revolution rate is increased so as to substantially match a characteristic of the actuator at a time of high pressure fixation; and a fixation determination unit to determine high pressure fixation of the actuator when the actual hydraulic pressure substantially matches the high pressure fixation determination value with a difference between the target line pressure and the upper limit line pressure not lower than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahiro Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 11988256
    Abstract: A clutch control method, including: determining whether a current vehicle state satisfies a condition for a clutch to enter a sliding friction state; if so, controlling the clutch to enter the sliding friction state, and determining a target sliding friction rotating speed of the clutch; determining whether the current vehicle state satisfies a condition for entering a clutch torque deviation collecting state; if so, collecting a torque deviation once and storing the torque deviation; at an end of an adjustment period, accumulating all torque deviations collected previously and taking an average value according to an accumulation number of times, so as to obtain an average torque deviation; if the average torque deviation exceeds a preset deviation threshold, recording the average torque deviation; and if the current vehicle state satisfies a condition for entering a deviation applying state, adjusting a current clutch friction coefficient according to the recorded average torque deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignees: Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., LTD, Ningbo Geely Royal Engine Components Co., Ltd., Aurobay Technology Co.,Ltd.
    Inventors: Junchao Jing, Jun Yang, Yiqiang Liu, Yiming Hui, Guang Ban, Guikang Yang, Weishan Huang, Ingo Scholten, Ruiping Wang
  • Patent number: 11982346
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a terrain based dynamic gear shift control method and system for a vehicle. The method includes: during running of a vehicle, obtaining a current terrain; according to the current terrain, the economic gear shift strategy, and the dynamic gear shift strategy, generating a current gear shift strategy curve; and according to the current gear shift strategy curve, controlling a transmission to perform gear shift. The present disclosure can make the vehicle have wider adaptability, and achieve a better dynamic balance between economy and dynamic performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Xiamen Yaxon Network Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yankai Tu, Jianyun Qu, Tengyuan Luo, Gang Ji
  • Patent number: 11981200
    Abstract: When temperature of a second power source of a vehicle becomes higher than a threshold value during a first mode in which three rotating elements of a differential gear can make differential movement and when four-wheel drive is needed, switching is performed to a second mode in which the three rotating elements are unified, and when four-wheel drive is not needed even when the temperature of the second power source becomes higher than the threshold value during the first mode, output of the second power source is restricted, while the first mode is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yosuke Akiyama, Akira Ijichi, Taichi Kobayashi, Koji Takaira, Akinori Homan, Yoshio Itou, Kunihiko Usui
  • Patent number: 11982349
    Abstract: A control method for a power train system that includes a clutch position sensor, a processor, and a manual transmission includes converting a gear stage selected by a shift lever of the manual transmission to a control shift range of an automatic transmission, sending specific information that enables identification of the converted control shift range to the control device configured to control motion of a vehicle in cooperation with the power train system, and holding, when operation of a clutch is detected by the clutch position sensor configured to detect operation of the clutch, specific information that enables identification of the control shift range at a time at which operation of the clutch is started, as the specific information to be sent to the control device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuki Miyake, Wataru Kanda
  • Patent number: 11975713
    Abstract: A control system includes one or more processing circuits comprising one or more memory devices coupled to one or more processors. The one or more memory devices are configured to store instructions thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to acquire speed data regarding current speeds of tractive elements of the vehicle from tractive element speed sensors of the vehicle, determine speed references for the tractive elements to perform autonomous driving operations where the speed references indicate speeds at which each of the tractive elements should rotate to accommodate the autonomous driving operations, and control at least one of a driveline or a brake system of the vehicle to selectively alter the current speeds of the tractive elements of the vehicle based on the current speeds and the speed references to accommodate the autonomous driving operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Aditya Singh, Ryan Jenkins, Joshua Guarino
  • Patent number: 11970949
    Abstract: A method and system for detecting a functional failure in a power gearbox, includes a) measuring operational data in a gas turbine engine of operational parameters dependent on power generation and power consumption of the engine or the gearbox, b) obtaining analyzed operational data including time data, angular data of rotation, frequency data and/or phase data, c) using the analyzed operational data in a comparison with stored baseline operational data to determine deviation data, d) determining time dependent trend data from the deviation data or determining a first state measured dependent on the power generation, power consumption or power regulation of the engine and measuring a second state dependent on vibrational data of the engine, e) generating a signal and/or a protocol for controlling the gearbox, and/or the engine based on the time dependent trend data, if a threshold is exceeded or based on the first or second states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO. KG
    Inventors: Sebastian Nowoisky, Lucia Ciciriello, Mateusz Grzeszkowski, Noushin Mokhtari Molk Abadi
  • Patent number: 11970058
    Abstract: A three-speed gearbox assembly for an electric drive vehicle includes four planetary gear sets connected to an electric motor output. A first clutch is configured to selectively couple the motor output to the first planetary gear set. A second clutch is configured to selectively ground a first portion of the first planetary gear set and a portion of the second planetary gear set to a housing. A selectable one-way clutch (SOWC) is configured to selectively ground a second portion of the first planetary gear set. The gearbox assembly is selectively switchable between (i) a first gear where the SOWC is engaged and the first and second clutches are disengaged, (ii) a second gear where the second clutch is engaged and the first clutch and the SOWC are disengaged, and (iii) a third gear where the first clutch is engaged and the second clutch and the SOWC are disengaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventor: Gregory Mordukhovich
  • Patent number: 11958567
    Abstract: A coaxial mid-drive power device of a bicycle includes a reducing structure and a hollow shaft motor engaged with the reducing structure that are disposed in a motor base. An output end of the reducing structure is operatively coupled with a one-way bearing bracket with a sprocket base via a one-way bearing. A crank spindle engaged with the one-way bearing bracket through another one-way bearing penetrates through the motor base. The two one-way bearings respectively have opposite rotation directions and are respectively located on different sides, i.e., an inside and an outside, of the one-way bearing bracket. A strain gauge disposed on the crank spindle is electrically connected to an annular conductive rail assembly engaged with the crank spindle and an elastic sheet assembly on a control circuit board in the motor base, hence the strain gauge could directly obtain a change in a torque of the crank spindle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: MOBILETRON ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Cheng-I Teng, Yi-Hsing Hsu
  • Patent number: 11958348
    Abstract: Disclosed is a drive unit for a drive axle of a vehicle having a first and second electric machines, a differential and a transmission with first and a second transmission input shafts, a transmission output shaft, at least a first planetary gearset. A first shifting unit has three shift positions. In a first shift position, a second element is connected to a rotationally fixed component. In a second shift position two of the three elements of the first planetary gearset are connected rotationally fixed to one another. A second shifting unit has exactly three shift positions. In a first shift position a first transmission input shaft and a second transmission input shaft are connected rotationally fixed to one another. In a second shift position the second transmission input shaft is connected at least indirectly to the second element of the first planetary gearset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Niclas Raeder
  • Patent number: 11958624
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for an aircraft. This aircraft assembly includes a carrier, a first gear system, a second gear system and an idler. The first gear system includes a first sun gear, a first ring gear and a plurality of first intermediate gears. Each of the first intermediate gears is between and is meshed with the first sun gear and the first ring gear. Each of the first intermediate gears is rotatably mounted to the carrier. The second gear system includes a second sun gear, a second ring gear and a plurality of second intermediate gears. Each of the second intermediate gears is between and is meshed with the second sun gear and the second ring gear. Each of the second intermediate gears is rotatably mounted to the carrier. The idler gear couples the first ring gear to the second ring gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Paul R. Hanrahan
  • Patent number: 11945303
    Abstract: A method includes switching a vehicle to a 4WD state by connecting a disconnector, maintaining the disconnector in the connected state for a predetermined maintenance time, determining whether a condition to be switched to a 2WD state is satisfied when the predetermined maintenance time period elapses, and disconnecting the disconnector when the condition to be switched to the 2WD state is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Chan Hee Won, Tae Wook Park, Young Joon Chang
  • Patent number: 11945430
    Abstract: A vehicle motion control system for coordinating and synchronizing a wheel-individual brake system and a power-train torque vectoring actuator system in a vehicle. The wheel-individual brake system includes at least one first actuator for applying a braking torque to individual wheels of the vehicle. The power-train torque vectoring actuator system includes at least one second actuator for applying a torque to individual wheels of the vehicle through a propulsion system. The vehicle motion control system includes a central control function module including a plurality of yaw torque controllers. Each yaw torque controller is configured to receive data including driver inputs and vehicle motion states to determine a respective yaw torque based on the received data for controlling the yaw behavior of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Volvo Car Corporation
    Inventors: Rudrendu Shekhar, Martin Idegren, Mikael Riikonen
  • Patent number: 11945425
    Abstract: A method for braking a vehicle, including checking whether a trigger criterion for braking the vehicle is present, and if the trigger criterion is satisfied, causing a conditioning braking pulse through brief pulsed braking such that passengers experience brief braking of the vehicle, and immediately thereafter initiating a braking phase in which the vehicle is braked in at least two partial braking regions by an actual ego deceleration that varies with respect to time, wherein each partial braking region is extended over a partial braking interval and merge into one another without the actual ego deceleration changing abruptly, and the actual ego deceleration in at least one of the partial braking regions is changed continuously over the respective partial braking interval such that a different actual jerk is obtained in each partial braking region, and wherein the actual jerk behaves degressively over at least some partial braking regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS GLOBAL GMBH
    Inventors: Richard Matthaei, Thomas Dieckmann, Waldemar Kamischke, Janik Ricke
  • Patent number: 11946515
    Abstract: A method for determining, in real-time, an electronic limited-slip differential (eLSD) clutch torque includes receiving vehicle data in real-time, wherein the vehicle data includes a torque request, determining a preliminary eLSD clutch torque using a neural network and the vehicle data, determining clutch torque bounds of the eLSD using a physics-based model, determining whether the preliminary eLSD clutch torque is outside the clutch torque bounds of the eLSD, adjusting the preliminary eLSD clutch torque using clutch torque bounds to determine a final clutch torque of the eLSD in response to determining that the preliminary eLSD clutch torque is outside the clutch torque bounds of the eLSD, and commanding, in real-time, the eLSD to apply the final clutch torque to a clutch of the eLSD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Arash Hashemi, Sresht Gurumoorthi Annadevara, Naser Mehrabi, SeyedAlireza Kasaiezadeh Mahabadi, Lapo Frascati