Patents Examined by Greg Binda
  • Patent number: 11965576
    Abstract: A damper device includes a first rotor, a second rotor, an elastic coupling part elastically coupling the first and second rotors in a rotational direction, and a hysteresis generating mechanism. The hysteresis generating mechanism generates a hysteresis torque and includes a friction member. The friction member is configured to make frictional contact with the first or second rotor. The friction member does not make frictional contact with the first and second rotors in a first torsion angular range where torsion is caused from a neutral condition to a first side and a second side in the rotational direction. The friction member makes frictional contact with the first or second rotor so as to generate a hysteresis torque in a second torsion angular range exceeding the first torsion angular range. The friction member is set in a neutral position by actuation of the elastic coupling part in the neutral condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: EXEDY Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Uehara, Masahiko Aoki
  • Patent number: 11965549
    Abstract: An unbalanced shaft is provided that has a center of mass eccentric to its rotational axis to generate a shaft unbalance. The unbalanced shaft includes a bearing journal having a variable width throughout its circumference, and a multi-row cage having rollers which roll on inner raceways arranged on an outer lateral surface of the bearing journal. The rollers and inner raceways define a load zone, within which a width of each of the inner raceways is greater than an effective length of the rollers idling thereon. At least one of the inner raceways, which extends circumferentially for 360 degrees, has a width throughout that is greater than an effective length of the rollers rolling thereon. For sections outside of the load zone, at least one of the inner raceways has a width less than the effective length of the rollers that roll thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG &Co. KG
    Inventors: Hannes Schreyer, Norbert Geyer, Thomas Hußenether, Jan Nagengast
  • Patent number: 11959528
    Abstract: A vehicle output shaft includes a torque transmission shaft, a drive-side end which is connected to a differential by way of a differential-side joint, and an output-side end which is connected to a driven wheel of the motor vehicle by way of a wheel-side joint, as well as at least one torsional vibration damper. The torsional vibration damper is arranged in a series circuit between the torque transmission shaft and at least one of the joints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Linda Senger
  • Patent number: 11950525
    Abstract: A protective member includes an attachment portion that is attached to a tractor including a mid PTO shaft and a protective frame that is supported by the attachment portion and positioned not to overlap with the mid PTO shaft in a front view to protect the mid PTO shaft, and the protective frame is positioned not to overlap with the mid PTO shaft in a side view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Koji Masumoto
  • Patent number: 11940007
    Abstract: A tube is used in fiber-reinforced plastic power transmission shaft. The tube comprises: a cylindrical body section; a connection portion that has a larger diameter than the body section; and an inclined portion that has an outer diameter that increases toward the second connection section from the main body part. The inclined section has formed thereon, a weak section that is damaged when a load input in the axial direction exceeds a prescribed value. With this configuration, the cost of the tube can be reduced, and when a prescribed load is input to the tube in the axial direction, the tube is reliably damaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichi Mori, Takahiro Nakayama, Kazuki Ohta
  • Patent number: 11940020
    Abstract: A constant velocity joint assembly includes a housing body having an outer surface and an inner surface extending between a first housing end and a second housing end along a central axis. The inner surface of the housing body defines a raceway. A plurality of rollers are disposed in the raceway. A flexible boot is operably fixed to the housing body, with the flexible boot extending along the central axis. A deflector ring is fixed to the outer surface of the housing body. The deflector ring has a metal inner ring portion and a non-metal outer ring portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Adam J. Tebbe, Ray A. Baker, Scott T. Phillpotts
  • Patent number: 11940018
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper includes an input part for introducing a torque, two intermediate elements, an energy storage element designed as a compression spring that acts on the intermediate elements, an output part for discharging a vibration-damped torque, and an elastic or resilient compensation part provided between the output part and the intermediate elements. The intermediate elements are designed as pendulum rockers and are movement-coupled to the input part. Each of the intermediate elements can move towards and away from the other in a linear motion. The output part is movement-coupled to the intermediate elements and rotatable relative to the intermediate elements. The compensation part is for eliminating play of the intermediate elements relative to the output part in an axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Martin Häßler, Alain Rusch, Philippe Kremper, Yannick Strub, Laurent Theriot
  • Patent number: 11939849
    Abstract: The mechanical shaft lock can include one or more shear pins. When an end of the shear pin, e.g., shear pin head, lines up with one or more shearing slots on the MSL or pump shaft, the shear pin engages and stops the rotation of the pump shaft and motor attached to the pump. The shaft lock can be engaged for installing an ESP, disengaged for production after installing by breaking the shear pin upon start-up, and re-engaged for removing the ESP from the wellbore. In some embodiments, the MSL may be configured to be disengaged and re-engaged to deal with well kicks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Extract Companies, LLC
    Inventors: Mitchell Lee Crane, Jose Mauricio Oviedo Gualdron
  • Patent number: 11940019
    Abstract: A shaft tube joint structure of a drive shaft is disclosed. The structure includes an extension tube, a shaft tube, a convex tube, a concave tube, an inner adhesive rubber ring and an outer adhesive rubber ring; the extension tube and the shaft tube are abutted to each other; the convex tube is sleeved in the extension tube and the shaft tube at the abutting position therebetween, an inner seam having a variable gap size distribution is formed in an axis direction; the concave tube is sleeved on the extension tube and the shaft tube at the abutting position therebetween, an outer seam having a variable gap size distribution is formed in the axis direction. The inner adhesive rubber ring and the outer adhesive rubber ring are fully used for simultaneously transmitting a power torque, thus improving the power torque bearing capability of the shaft tube joint structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Shanghai GKN Huayu Driveline Systems Company Limited
    Inventor: Zhuoxuan Zhu
  • Patent number: 11933269
    Abstract: A torsion absorber is provided for attachment to a cylindrical section of a shaft. The torsion absorber includes a flywheel and at least one tensioner. The at least one tensioner is configured to brace a first segment and a second segment of the flywheel against the cylindrical section of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignees: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG, ZF WIND POWER ANTWERPEN N.V.
    Inventor: Bart Caers
  • Patent number: 11933371
    Abstract: A joint assembly for a driveshaft has a yoke stub with multiple channels in the direction of extension; and a tube sleeve having a recess aligned with a corresponding channel and telescopically engaged with a yoke stub. The driveshaft includes multiple rollers spaced apart from each other in such a way that providing axial movement between the channel and the corresponding recess to transmit torque and a cage extending between the rollers to secure them together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Inventor: Sebahattin Davazli
  • Patent number: 11927254
    Abstract: A rotary device includes a first rotor, a second rotor, a centrifugal element, and a first rolling member. The first rotor includes an accommodation portion having first and second guide surfaces. The first and second guide surfaces face both sides in a circumferential direction. The first rotor is disposed to be rotatable. The second rotor is disposed to be rotatable with and relative to the first rotor. The centrifugal element is disposed within the accommodation portion. The centrifugal element is disposed to be radially movable by a centrifugal force acting thereon in rotation of the first or second rotor. The centrifugal element rotates about a rotational axis thereof in radial movement thereof. The first rolling member is disposed between the first guide surface and the centrifugal element. The first rolling member rolls on the first guide surface in accordance with rotation of the centrifugal element about the rotational axis thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: EXEDY Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Okamachi, Koichi Higuchi
  • Patent number: 11927225
    Abstract: A sliding spline shaft device of the present invention includes a male spline and a female spline that is fitted to the male spline in an axially slidable manner, and at least one of the splines has a surface processed layer. The surface processed layer includes an undercoat layer, an intermediate layer containing phosphate, and a topcoat layer containing solid lubricant, in this order. The undercoat layer contains iron nitride and/or iron carbide. Thus, the surface of a base material has high hardness. As a result, microscopic deformation of the sliding surface is reduced, and increase in a real contact area is suppressed, whereby stick-slip is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignees: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD., NIHON PARKERIZING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigetoshi Kashiwabara, Kunio Katada, Shunsuke Hiraiwa, Akihumi Kawaguchi, Takeo Nishijima, Shinichi Suzuki, Yasuyuki Katsumada, Makoto Nakajima, Tokunori Kodama, Masato Ito, Aiki Iwasa
  • Patent number: 11927224
    Abstract: An oscillation decoupling system does not transmit oscillations, for example, from a drive train of a vehicle to an actuator system for a clutch. A clutch system with the oscillation decoupling system has an adjusting element. The actuator system includes an active element which is designed to carry out an active movement in a predetermined working direction and an element of the oscillation decoupling system which connects the active element to the actuator device and to the adjusting element. The element of the oscillation decoupling system includes, in a predetermined direction of work, a play region in which the active element or the adjusting element moves without the respective other moving element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventor: Sebastian Schaller
  • Patent number: 11927226
    Abstract: A fixed type constant velocity universal joint has an operation mode in which, when a maximum operating angle is taken, in a column portion that is one of column portions on both sides of a pocket of a cage receiving a torque transmission ball at a phase angle and is located on a side corresponding to a phase angle larger than the phase angle, a projection end portion obtained by projecting an end portion of a spherical inner peripheral surface of the outer joint member on the opening side in a perpendicular direction toward the spherical outer peripheral surface of the cage and a projection end portion obtained by projecting an end portion of the spherical outer peripheral surface of the inner joint member on the back side in the perpendicular direction toward the spherical inner peripheral surface of the cage overlap in the axial direction of the cage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Teruaki Fujio, Masashi Funahashi
  • Patent number: 11927238
    Abstract: An internal viscous rotational damping (VRD) assembly for transmitting torque from a drive member connector to a load member connector is provided. The VRD assembly comprises a spacer tube connected between the drive member connector and the load member connector, wherein the spacer tube includes a longitudinal axis and an inner surface that extends along the longitudinal axis. The VRD assembly further includes a damper bar disposed within the spacer tube. The damper bar includes an outer surface, wherein a cavity is defined between the outer surface of the damper bar and the inner surface of the spacer tube, and wherein the cavity is configured for receiving a viscous fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Riverhawk Company
    Inventor: Robert M. Whitney
  • Patent number: 11920653
    Abstract: Driveshaft dampers are provided for use in driveshafts to dampen or attenuate aspects of noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH). Systems and methods for making and using driveshaft dampers are further provided. The driveshaft dampers may be made using a helical-winding process and include attenuation strips with elongate protrusions. Various embodiments of helically-wound driveshaft dampers include a core and one or more attenuation strips helically wound around the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: CARAUSTAR INDUSTRIAL AND CONSUMER PRODUCTS GROUP, INC.
    Inventor: Josh Wolfenbarger
  • Patent number: 11920648
    Abstract: A slip clutch device for an electric driving machine includes a rotation axis, an input side rotatable about the rotation axis, an output side rotatable about the rotation axis, and a slip clutch connecting the input side to the output side in a torque-limiting manner. The slip clutch includes an electrical insulation element for preventing an electrical disruptive discharge line between the input side and the output side, a friction disc, and a friction plate, pressed against the friction disc in a contact region in a frictionally engaged torque-transmitting manner. The friction disc or the friction plate is formed from an electrically insulating material in an insulation region extending radially over the contact region, and the insulation region is a bearing structure for radially transmitting torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Michael Schneider
  • Patent number: 11920633
    Abstract: A telescopic rod structure includes an upper rod and a lower rod. The upper rod includes a first rod body and a second rod body. A diameter of the first rod body is less than a diameter of the second rod body. A rod stepped surface is formed between the first rod body and the second rod body. An outer wall of the second rod body defines a guide groove. The lower rod defines a first through hole and a second through hole. A diameter of the first through hole is less than a diameter of the second through hole. A hole stepped surface is formed between the first through hole and the second through hole. A rib is arranged on the second through hole. The second rod body is sleeved in the second through hole. The first rod body upwards passes through the first through hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Inventor: Lihong Zhao
  • Patent number: 11920641
    Abstract: A coupling includes a claw part and an intermediate piece. The intermediate piece includes a tube piece produced from aluminum or from an aluminum alloy, and a buffer part received in an end region of the tube piece and including elastic damping elements for receiving the claw part. The damping elements are surrounded by the end region radially at an outside in a circumferential direction. The buffer part includes a part which is different from the damping elements and is produced from a material of a brittleness which is greater than a brittleness of the tube piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Flender GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Kleinewegen, Michael Te Uhle