Patents Examined by Jake Cook
  • Patent number: 11965590
    Abstract: Methods and systems for lubricating a rotating shaft are provided. The lubrication system, in one example, includes a pump coupled to a central lubricant channel, the rotating shaft having a plurality of channels, an air intake channel positioned parallel to an axis of rotation of the rotating shaft, and a first orifice of a first channel of the plurality of channels, where the first orifice is positioned between the air intake channel and the central lubricant channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: DANA BELGIUM N.V.
    Inventors: Kurt Cattoor, Joachim Van Dingenen, Filip D. Schacht, Jessica Versini
  • Patent number: 11958188
    Abstract: A modular end effector with a base with at least one connection element, a manipulator, in particular interchangeable with the connection element connected is disclosed. The position of the connection element and/or the position of the manipulator within the connection element can be changed so that the manipulator can be used in different positions relative to a base to create a versatile modular end effector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V.
    Inventors: Neal Yi-Sheng Lii, Julian Dietl, Zhaopeng Chen, Benedikt Pleintinger
  • Patent number: 11953083
    Abstract: Power takeoff devices (PTOs) are useful for mounting on transmissions and for performing, directly or indirectly, useful work via the mechanical energy generated by the PTO's rotatable output shaft. Systems and methods for reducing PTO gear rattle include an input gear carried on a shaft sleeve mounted on a shaft extending between opposing spaced apart walls of a PTO housing. The shaft sleeve is moveable in an axial direction along the shaft, the travel of the shaft sleeve in each direction being limited by contacting the respective wall. The shaft sleeve is biased to remain spaced apart from the walls, thereby reducing or eliminating gear rattle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Muncie Power Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Samuel W. Campbell
  • Patent number: 11952051
    Abstract: A rack guide bearing for meshing a pinion and vehicle steering system rack, the guide bearing including a wall, a first portion is tubular and defines an axis and internal channel around the axis opening at the guide bearing first end, and opening onto a second portion of the wall opposite the first end, an internal channel section transverse to the axis and inserts the rack into the channel according to the rack axis parallel to the guide bearing axis, the guide bearing including an internal channel inner surface of the guide bearing wall's first portion and an inner surface of the guide bearing wall's second portion, the inner surfaces are in slipping contact with a slipping surface of the rack opposite to a toothing of the rack, when the rack is inserted inside the first portion of the wall's internal channel according to the axis of the rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: JTEKT EUROPE
    Inventors: Roch Monnet, Arnaud Latreille, Yannick Vigne
  • Patent number: 11945105
    Abstract: A toothed safe braking apparatus for use in robotic joint, comprising an electromagnetic telescoping apparatus (6) and a friction engagement component (10). The friction engagement component (10) is mounted on a shaft (C) of the robotic joint and comprises a brake lock ring gear (1) provided with a first center fitting hole (12), the brake lock ring gear (1) being provided with teeth (11) arranged on the outer circumferential surface thereof, a pretension ring (2) provided with a second center fitting hole (13), and a brake hub (4) provided with a first end surface (14), a second end surface (15), and an outer circumferential surface (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Rethink Robotics GmbH
    Inventors: Yong Yang, Sheng Zhang, Chao Jiang
  • Patent number: 11939805
    Abstract: A door drive for a motor vehicle door or motor vehicle flap, which is provided with an electromotive drive, a transmission downstream of the drive, and a force-transmission element. The force-transmission element is operatively connected to a leaf of the motor vehicle door or motor vehicle flap. An output element of the transmission and the force-transmission element are coupled by a toothing with compensation for play. According to the invention, the output element and/or the force-transmission element are not only designed to be moveable for play compensation, but can also be permanently fixed after the compensation for play.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Kiekert AG
    Inventors: Thorsten Bendel, Michael Berres, Bernhard Drost, Christian Sturm
  • Patent number: 11904463
    Abstract: A plastic robot arm link for a robot includes a body made of plastic material, a connection arranged on the body and adapted to be coupled to a further plastic robot arm link or a transmission part of the robot, and an insertion made of material with a higher strength or stiffness than the plastic material and embedded in the body and/or the connection. By embedding the material with higher strength or stiffness within the body of the robot arm link made of plastic material, the stiffness and strength of the robot arm link can be enhanced. In addition, due to the presence of highly rigid materials, the creep effect of the plastic arm is also significantly reduced, improving the accuracy of the robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: ABB SCHWEIZ AG
    Inventors: Feihu Yuan, Hao Gu, Wei Song
  • Patent number: 11890751
    Abstract: A curved scissor linkage mechanism (1) includes at least four linkage elements (2) each having a first end (3) and a second end (4). The linkage elements are arranged to form sides of one or more rhombi or parallelograms. Each linkage element is rotationally connected to another linkage elements via a revolute joint (5) at the first end and is rotationally connected to another one of the other linkage elements via another revolute joint at the second end. The linkage elements are configured so that the axes of each joint coincide at one common remote centre of motion. The mechanism is connectable to a first external member (7) at a proximal end and is rotationally connectable to a second external member (9) at an opposite distal end to obtain three DOFs. The scissor linkage mechanism may further include a motion controlling mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Aalborg Universitet
    Inventors: Miguel Nobre Castro, John Rasmussen, Michael Skipper Andersen, Shaoping Bai
  • Patent number: 11892058
    Abstract: A coaxial gear mechanism (1) includes a toothing (5) which is oriented axially with respect to an axis of rotation (3) of the coaxial gear mechanism (1), a tooth carrier (7) which in each case has axially oriented guides (9), and tooth pins (11) which each comprise a body (50), which is mounted so as to be axially displaceable in a guide (9) of the tooth carrier (7), and a head region (51), wherein the head region (51) includes at least one tooth (52) for engagement with the toothing (5), and wherein the tooth carrier (7) wherein the tooth carrier has an irregular angular pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: WITTENSTEIN SE
    Inventors: Michael Schmidt, Martin Kimmelmann, Andreas Kümmeth
  • Patent number: 11892062
    Abstract: A screw device is provided which applies preload with a single nut and can easily detect preload. The screw device of includes: a screw shaft having an outer helical groove; a nut fitted on the screw shaft, the nut having an inner helical groove, and a return path to which a passage formed between the outer groove and the inner groove is connected; a plurality of rolling elements placed between the passage and the return path; and a strain sensor attached to an outer surface of the nut. At least one hole is provided between an attachment surface, to which the strain sensor is attached, of the nut and/or a vicinity thereof and an inner surface of the nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Kubota, Hirofumi Suzuki, Takamitsu Tomiyama, Yuta Tsujisawa
  • Patent number: 11890752
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a complex elastic unit for maximizing space utilization and elastic energy storage with a limited space and a variable gravity compensation module with the complex elastic unit and a curved lever, more particularly to variable gravity compensation apparatus with a curved lever, characterized by comprising: a housing; an interlocking cam which is installed to the housing, being rotated by a load; a curved lever which is rotated interlocked with the rotation of the interlocking cam and which provides elasticity to rotate the interlocking cam toward an initial position; an adjustment unit which adjusts a position of a pivot which is a center of rotation of the curved lever, allowing moving the pivot according to strength of load; and an elastic unit which is equipped within the housing to provide elasticity to the curved lever, wherein a driving end which is adhered to the interlocking cam is formed on one end of the curved lever with respect to the pivot, a driven end which is a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Chung Ang University Industry Academic Cooperation Foundation
    Inventors: Giuk Lee, Jehyeok Kim, Jun Young Moon, Jae Wook Ryu
  • Patent number: 11883883
    Abstract: It has been found that duplex monolithic parts can be manufactured in high volume at low cost by using powder metal technology to mold and sinter an inner component of the part into an outer component of the part. This technique reduces the cost of manufacturing intricate metal products by taking advantage of the attributes of powder metal technology in making the inner component of the part. The outer component of the part can be wrought machined, stamped or forged, or made by double press double sinter or forging a powder metal component of the part. In any case, this technique can beneficially be used in making a wide variety of toroid parts, such as gears, clutches, sprags, bearing races, one-way diodes, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Keystone Powdered Metal Company
    Inventors: Gary L. Anderson, Peter G. Imbrogno, Kevin Brunner
  • Patent number: 11883954
    Abstract: A flexible member is provided which can have excellent load resistance and flexibility while being more compact. This flexible member has a main body part in which multiple wave washers having closed ring shapes is stacked in an axial direction and joined to each other by multiple joint parts, and the main body part is able to be bent with respect to the axial direction due to elastic deformation of the wave washers. Each of the joint parts includes: a pair of welded parts in linear shape, being gradually separated from each other in a circumferential direction from an inner circumferential side toward an outer circumferential side of the wave washer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shimpei Kurokawa, Yosuke Kawai
  • Patent number: 11879524
    Abstract: An actuator system can be used to adjust a position of a component in a spatial light modulator. The actuator system has a pair of actuators that are coupled together by a frame that is used to adjust the height of the component relative to the substrate. The frame includes a pair of moment arms that are coupled to the actuators and a pair of connecting arms that are coupled to the moment arms. The connecting arms are then connected together at about the center of the frame, which portion of the frame can be used to raise or lower the plate. The center of the frame can be raised or lowered by a shortening or lengthening of the connecting arms relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Inventors: C. Anthony Hester, Charles F. Hester
  • Patent number: 11867273
    Abstract: A helical sector gear having a body and a gear segment having a plurality of helical teeth. The gear segment has a toothed sector, on which all of the helical teeth are formed, and spacing segments on the opposite circumferential ends of the toothed sector. Each of the spacing segments has a circumferential surface, which is longer than a pitch of the helical teeth, and a radial surface that is formed in a helical manner that conforms to the helix angle of helical teeth. A die set for forming the helical sector gear and a related method are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel R. Bankovic, Douglas Hanes, Martin J. Fannin
  • Patent number: 11867271
    Abstract: Embodiments of a system, method and apparatus for a gear are disclosed. For example, a metallic gear hub can include an axis of rotation and metallic gear teeth. The metallic gear teeth can be smaller than a final gear teeth size of the gear. The metallic gear teeth can be co-planar with the axis. In addition, the metallic gear teeth can be non-orthogonal to the axis. A polymer layer can be located on the metallic gear teeth to form polymer gear teeth on the metallic gear teeth. The polymer gear teeth can form the final gear teeth size of the gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey E. Beyerlein, Alan G. Turek, Himadri Shastry, Jason T. Rutkiewicz
  • Patent number: 11870324
    Abstract: Because the pressure angle ?° (=12°) of teeth (47) of a worm wheel (46) is larger than the pressure angle ?° (=11°) of teeth (45) of a worm (44), tips of the teeth (47) of the worm wheel (46) can be more tapered as compared with a case in which the pressure angle of the teeth of the worm and the pressure angle of the teeth of the worm wheel are the same angle (the conventional case). Thereby, it is possible to ensure non-contact of teeth, which had been variable in terms of contact and non-contact in the case of the conventional form, even if there has been non-uniformity in the teeth (47) of the worm wheel (46).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBA Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Uchimura, Kazuaki Aoki
  • Patent number: 11865714
    Abstract: An apparatus for a robotic limb includes one or more limb segments connected via one or more joints. The robotic limb may feature one or more dual-reduction quasi-quasi-direct-drive joint actuators that permit the robotic limb to move throughout a scene. The robotic limb may further include an end-effector connected to a free end of the robotic limb with one or more opposable fingers comprising a four bar linkage. The end-effector may include a main actuator that actuates the one or more fingers via the four-bar linkages to complete various tasks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jose Marcel Santos, Brian Harms, Thomas Brenner, Curtis Aumiller, Jiawei Zhang, Sajid Sadi, Pranav Mistry, Forrest G. Tran, Tara Sriram, Kathleen Sofia Hajash
  • Patent number: 11859714
    Abstract: A power transmission device includes a power transmission mechanism, an oil pump, a first electric wire, a controller and a control unit. The power transmission mechanism is arranged in a first chamber. The oil pump is arranged in a second chamber. The control unit is connected with the controller via the first electric wire. The first electric wire is provided inside the second chamber, and is arranged at a position that does not overlap with the oil pump when viewed along a first direction that is a direction facing from the oil pump to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignees: Jatco Ltd, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirohisa Yukawa, Katsunori Yamashita, Hideyuki Mamiya
  • Patent number: 11859709
    Abstract: A motor driven power steering device including a motor and a speed reducer configured to decelerate a rotation speed of the motor, wherein the speed reducer includes a worm gear coupled to a drive shaft of the motor and rotatably installed to a speed reducer housing through a bearing, a worm wheel gear-coupled with the worm gear, and a rotation member mounted between the worm gear and the bearing and configured to circulate a lubrication agent applied between the worm gear and the worm wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Un Jae Jung