Patents Examined by Lillian T Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11971090
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for a multi-speed electric axle assembly with three gear ratios. The multi-speed electric axle assembly includes one or more power supplies, one or more shafts operatively coupled to the one or more power supplies and a differential, and one or more Ravigneaux gear assemblies integrated with the one or more shafts. The one or more Ravigneaux gear assemblies of the multi-speed electric axle assembly providing the three gear ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: DANA HEAVY VEHICLE SYSTEMS GROUP, LLC
    Inventors: Andrew T. Brammer, Michael D. Cook, Jordan M. Houser
  • Patent number: 11958566
    Abstract: A control device of an internal speed change device of a wheel hub for clutching operation includes a rod; a lever installed on the rod; the lever being connected to a controlling claw sliding block; an electric sliding block installed on a lever sleeve; the lever sleeve serving to receive a back end of the lever; an electric bushing located at an outer side of the lever sleeve; a controlling ring located at an outer side of the electric bushing; and wherein force of attraction or repulsion between the controlling ring and the electric sliding block drives the electric sliding block to rotate or move axially so as to drive the lever to move forwards or backwards axially; and moving of the lever drives the controlling claw sliding block to control clutching of the internal speed change device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: NEW KAILUNG GEAR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jen-Chih Liu
  • Patent number: 11953089
    Abstract: A transmission system associated with a vehicle includes a shaft to rotate about an axis of rotation. The shaft is coupled to a gear set. The transmission system includes a target wheel to be coupled to the gear set and to rotate with the gear set. The target wheel includes at least one void. The transmission system includes a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensor spaced apart from the target wheel by a gap. The giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensor is configured to observe the at least one void of the target wheel to determine a rotation speed of the shaft based on a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) effect. The transmission system further includes a rotating shell located in the gap between the target wheel and the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Angela M Hutcheon, Joel H Gunderson, Roman Shestakov
  • Patent number: 11945311
    Abstract: A shifting device for a hybrid drive system of a motor vehicle, with a centrally arranged shaft, a first gear wheel rotatably mounted relative to the shaft and a second gear wheel rotatably mounted relative to the shaft and offset along the shaft relative to the first gear wheel, a sliding sleeve slidably received directly in the first gear wheel and non-rotatably connected thereto, which sliding sleeve is configured such that, in a first displacement position, it connects the shaft in a rotationally fixed manner to the first gear wheel, while the second gear wheel is rotationally decoupled from the shaft, and in a second displacement position, it rotationally connects the shaft to both the first and second gear wheels, and in a third displacement position, it rotationally connects the two gear wheels to each other while the shaft is rotationally decoupled from the two gear wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Marcus Hoppe, Torsten Pieper
  • Patent number: 11933374
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a saddle-ride type vehicle comprising a clutch assembly (4), interposed between an engine (2) and a gearbox (3), which includes a clutch device (11) in turn comprising two clutch elements (one integral with the shaft of the engine and the other with the input shaft of the gearbox) and return means (12) that keep these elements (11A, 11B) in contact in a closure condition of the clutch. According to the invention, the clutch assembly (4) further comprises an operating device (21) of the clutch device that causes detachment of the elements (11A, 11B) of the clutch device up to an opening condition of the clutch assembly. This latter further comprises a control device (6) to limit the torque peaks during gear change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Piaggio & C. S.p.A.
    Inventors: Romano Albesiano, Walter Scattolin, Francesco Grisotolo
  • Patent number: 11920643
    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: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Keystone Powdered Metal Company
    Inventors: Bradley Reiter, Gary L. Anderson
  • Patent number: 11906025
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle provided with a power source and a fluid transmission device that includes a lockup clutch. The control apparatus includes: (a) a follow-up-running control portion for controlling a follow-up running in which the vehicle automatically runs following a preceding vehicle with a predetermined inter-vehicle distance to the preceding vehicle; and (b) a lockup-clutch control portion for controlling the lockup clutch such that an operation state of the lockup clutch is placed in one of a released state, a slipping state or an engaged state. The lockup-clutch control portion is configured, during the follow-up running, to execute a fluid-temperature increase suppressing control for controlling the operation state of the lockup clutch in a manner that suppresses increase of a temperature of a working fluid which circulates in the fluid transmission device and which is used to switch the operation state of the lockup clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi Okuda, Masafumi Yamamoto, Yoshito Sekiguchi, Yuuki Makino
  • Patent number: 11906006
    Abstract: A self-activated no-back device includes a housing, an input shaft, an output shaft, a reactor hub, first grooves, a brake hub, second grooves, a plurality of balls, a reactor plate, a brake pack, a reactor spring, and a load spring. The first grooves are formed on an interior side of the reactor hub interior side, and the second grooves are formed in an interior side of the brake hub. Each second groove is aligned with a different first groove to define a plurality of groove pairs. Each ball is positioned in a different one of the groove pairs. One side of the reactor plate contacts the reactor hub. The brake pack is selectively contacted by the brake hub. The reactor spring supplies a spring force to the reactor plate, and the load spring supplies a spring force to the brake pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jakub Chmelar, Jiri Berjak, Ronald Vaughan, Tomas Ripel
  • Patent number: 11904695
    Abstract: An assembly for power transmission between an output of a drive engine and an input of a transmission. The assembly includes a torque converter and a P2 module that are axially engage and retained for flexibility in assembling of the assembly. The P2 module including a clutch and an electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignees: Exedy Globalparts Corporation, BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Scott William Binder, Calahan B. Campton, Michael W. Campbell
  • Patent number: 11885395
    Abstract: An electric transmission (10) for a motor vehicle drive train (12) with a first electric prime mover (14) and a second electric prime mover (18), includes a first transmission input shaft (30) having a first transmission connection for drivingly connecting the electric transmission to the first electric prime mover, a second transmission input shaft (32) having a second transmission connection for drivingly connecting the electric transmission to the second electric prime mover, a countershaft (36), gearwheel pairs of idler gears (42, 44, 50, 52, 62) and fixed gears (46, 48, 54, 65, 64) for forming gear steps and arranged in multiple gear set planes, a plurality of shift elements (38, 40) for engaging the gear steps, a planetary gear set (22) with a sun gear (24), a planet gear carrier, and a ring gear (28), and a third transmission input shaft (34) drivingly connected to the planet gear carrier of the planetary gear set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventor: Max Bachmann
  • Patent number: 11885405
    Abstract: A housing for a plastic gearbox and associated plastic gearbox and a robot. The housing includes a body including an inner engaging portion circumferentially arranged on an inner surface of the body, the inner engaging portion adapted to be engaged with a transmission assembly of the plastic gearbox; and an adjusting mechanism arranged around the body and operable to squeeze the body inwardly to reduce an inner diameter of the body. By using the adjusting mechanism to squeeze the body of the housing inwardly, the fit error between the inner engaging portion and the transmission assembly can be compensated in an efficient way. Furthermore, the adjusting mechanism is a part of the housing and thus the body of the housing which is made of plastic does not need to be too thick, which makes injection molding easier and manufacturing precision improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Hao Gu, Jibo Yang, Han Chen, Wei Song, Jiafan Zhang
  • Patent number: 11879505
    Abstract: An electromagnetic clutch is provide that includes a fixed component, a driven component and an elastic component. The fixed component includes a magnetic yoke provided thereon with multiple iron cores, and each iron core is provided thereon with a coil. The driven component includes an armature disc provided thereon with multiple magnets. The armature disc and the magnetic yoke are disposed correspondingly, and the iron cores and the magnets are disposed correspondingly. The elastic component is used to keep the armature disc at a disengaged position from magnetic yoke. When the coil is energized in a forward direction, the iron core attracts the magnet and when the coil is energized in a reverse direction, the iron core generates an electromagnetic force to reduce an attractive force of the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Jing-Jin Electric Technologies Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Ping Yu, Changqi Yang, Jianwen Li, Yang Cao
  • Patent number: 11878582
    Abstract: A drive device for a motor vehicle has an electric drive machine which is operatively connected to a transmission via a driveshaft. The transmission has at least first and second planet gear stages and a differential stage. The first planet gear stage has a first planet gear set with planet gears rotatably arranged on a first planet gear carrier and mesh with a first sun gear and a first ring gear. The second planet gear stage has a second planet gear set with planet gears rotatably arranged on a second planet gear carrier and mesh with a second sun gear and a second ring gear. The planet gear stages are operatively connected to a double clutch device with first and second power-shift clutches, the ring gears are rigidly connected together to form a common ring gear, and the planet gear carriers are rigidly connected together to form a common planet gear carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Franz Voelkel
  • Patent number: 11865912
    Abstract: A transfer for a four wheel drive vehicle includes first and second distribution mechanisms. The first distribution mechanism includes a first clutch and is configured to distribute a portion of power from a power source to a second transmission mechanism through the first clutch. The second distribution mechanism includes a planetary gear set and a second clutch, and is configured to distribute a portion of power from the power source to a second transmission mechanism through the planetary gear set and the second clutch in order. The first and second clutches are configured to be controlled to a half-engaged state between engagement and disengagement. An input shaft of the first distribution mechanism and an input shaft of the planetary gear set are unitized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masayuki Ushiki, Katsuya Higuchi
  • Patent number: 11867242
    Abstract: A power transmission path switching device has a friction engaging device; a rotation transmission state switching device comprising a first member and a second member arranged coaxial with each other and having: a free mode and/or a one-way clutch mode allowing rotation of the first member with respect to the second member, and a lock mode preventing rotation of the first member with respect to the second member; and a control device that, when connecting the friction engaging device and setting the rotation transmission state switching device to the lock mode, has a function of connecting the friction engaging device, and then while maintaining the friction engaging device in a connected state, switches the rotation transmission state switching device to the lock mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Yamamoto, Hirotaka Kishida
  • Patent number: 11846327
    Abstract: A hub assembly for a hybrid module having a first and a second connection partner arranged coaxially with one another, the first connection partner has a first bearing portion and the second connection partner has a second bearing portion, and a plurality of connecting elements. The first and the second bearing portion have receiving openings for receiving the connecting elements. The first and the second connection partner are prepositioned with respect to one another via a form-fitting connection such that the receiving openings in the first and the second bearing portion are each oriented in pairs in a positionally correct manner with respect to one another in the circumferential direction about the main axis H.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventor: Thomas Bauer
  • Patent number: 11846324
    Abstract: A pawl freewheel with a first race, a second race and pawls between the first and second race, which comprise at least one first pawl, which can be pivoted between a locked position in which the first race is rotationally drivingly coupled in a first direction of rotation relative to the second race via the first pawl to the second race and an open position, in which the first race is rotatable in the first direction of rotation relative to the second race wherein an actuating device is provided with an actuating pin which interacts with the first pawl which can be displaced from a first actuating position in which the first pawl is pivoted into the locked position, in the axial direction relative to the first pawl into a second actuating position, in which the first pawl is pivoted into the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventor: Friedrich Philipp Brezger
  • Patent number: 11846344
    Abstract: A torque converter is provided that includes a front cover arranged to receive a torque, an impeller having an impeller shell non-rotatably connected to the cover, and a turbine in fluid communication with the impeller and including a turbine shell. An output element is disposed axially between the front cover and the turbine shell and arranged to connect to a transmission input shaft. The output element includes a flange and a neck extending axially from the flange towards the front cover. A lock-up clutch includes a piston. A floating hub is disposed axially between the front cover and the flange and is sealed to the piston and the transmission input shaft. The floating hub is non-rotatably connected to the neck of the output element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Austin Hoff
  • Patent number: 11840134
    Abstract: An electric powertrain includes a first electric motor that has an uninterrupted connection with a drive shaft of a vehicle. The electric powertrain further includes a second electric motor that has an interruptible connection with the drive shaft. In one form, this interruptible connection includes a clutch. The electric powertrain further includes a first gear train in the form of a first planetary gear and a second gear train in the form of a second planetary gear. In one form, the first electric motor and second electric motor are the same type of electric motor, and in another form, the first electric motor and second electric motor are different types of electric motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Arthur L McGrew, Jr., Isaac Mock, George S. Pelton, James Allen Raszkowski
  • Patent number: 11841066
    Abstract: An axle assembly having a gear reduction unit that is configured to operatively connect an electric motor to a drive pinion. The gear reduction unit includes at least two gear sets. At least one clutch is engageable to provide a torque path between the electric motor and the drive pinion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy Cradit, Nick Bofferding, David Zueski, Robert Martin, Eric LaMothe, Christopher Keeney, Brian Hayes