Patents Examined by Ryan Dodd
  • Patent number: 9383012
    Abstract: A device for actuating a locking mechanism, in particular for actuating a parking lock of a vehicle having an automatic transmission. The device comprises a piston which axially moves, a retaining device which is self-activating when the piston is in an axial position in which the locking mechanism is open to hold the piston in the axial position in which the locking mechanism is open, and an actuating device for actuating a release element, which deactivates the retaining device. To hold the piston in an axial position in which the locking mechanism is closed, the retaining device is self-activating, and can be deactivated to enable the piston to move, starting from the axial position in which the locking mechanism is closed, to the axial position in which the locking mechanism is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Christian Popp, Stefan Meschenmoser, Thilo Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9382951
    Abstract: A locking hub system in a vehicle is provided. The locking hub system includes an inner drive gear assembly including a drive gear having a drive gear interior splined surface configured to attach to a vehicle axle and a bearing housing rotationally coupled to the drive gear having a bearing housing exterior splined surface configured to mate with a wheel attachment interface and a clutch ring assembly including a pin ring having a plurality of cantilevered pins extending from a support ring, partially enclosing a clutch ring, and unsupported at one end, the clutch ring including a clutch ring splined interior surface slidably moveable to mate with an drive gear splined exterior surface of the drive gear in an engaged configuration and slidably moveable to decouple from the drive gear splined exterior surface in a disengaged configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Warn Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam K. Reiner, Kip E. Clohessy, Michael L. Bowers
  • Patent number: 9346354
    Abstract: A driveline component that includes an input member, a differential case, a differential gearset housed in the differential case, a first clutch and a second clutch. The first clutch is configured to selectively transmit rotary power between the input member and the differential case. The second clutch is configured to selectively transmit rotary power between the input member and the differential case. The first clutch has a first engagement time and that is less than a second engagement time of the second clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul J. Valente
  • Patent number: 9328802
    Abstract: Planetary gear set with several gear stages, comprising an annular ring with which the planet gears are in engagement with at least one gear stage; according to the invention it is provided that at least one circular insert part with external and internal gearing is arranged in an annular ring, whereby the external gearing is in engagement with the annular ring and the internal gearing meshes with planet gears of another gear stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: IMS GEAR GMBH
    Inventor: Markus Kruselburger
  • Patent number: 9331545
    Abstract: In a rotation apparatus including a motor and a speed reducer, the speed reducer includes a casing, an internal gear integrated with the casing, a planetary gear internally engaged with the internal gear, and a carrier body arranged in an axial side portion of the planetary gear, the motor and the speed reducer are connected with each other via an adapter, the adapter includes a motor-fixed surface fixed to the motor, a carrier-fixed surface fixed to the carrier body, and an externally fixed surface that is not parallel with the carrier-fixed surface and is fixed to an external member, a driven member is connected to the casing, the driven member, the speed reducer, and the externally fixed surface are overlapped with each other when viewed from a radial direction, and the driven member is rotated within a range of 180 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Sakae Mitsufuji, Shinichi Nishibe, Yuichi Nishitani, Tetsuzo Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 9313955
    Abstract: A safety device for agricultural machines is provided. The safety device includes a stop element, which can be associated functionally with a kinematic transmission chain interposed between a motor assembly of a working shaft and the working shaft itself to control the working shaft with the complementary stop element. The stop element is movable on command from a passive configuration to an active configuration, in which the stop element is arranged so as to interfere with the trajectory of the complementary stop element, for the forced locking of the latter and of the working shaft, and vice versa. Moreover, either or both of the stop element and the complementary stop element are associated with a unit for damping the forced locking, which can be actuated automatically upon impact of the stop element against the complementary stop element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: KVERNELAND GROUP RAVENNA S.R.L.
    Inventor: Paolo Ravaglia
  • Patent number: 9303699
    Abstract: An electromechanical assembly to control the operating mode of a coupling apparatus is provided. The assembly includes a first subassembly including a stator having at least one electromagnetically inductive coil to create a magnetic flux when the at least one coil is energized. At least one bi-directionally movable rod has a free end adapted for connection to a strut of the coupling apparatus for selective, small displacement strut movement. An actuator is operatively connected to the at least one rod for selective bi-directional shifting movement along a rotational axis between a first position of the actuator which corresponds to a first mode of the coupling apparatus and a second position of the actuator which corresponds to a second mode of the coupling apparatus. A magnetic control force is applied to the actuator when the at least one coil is energized to cause the actuator to move between positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Means Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: John W. Kimes, Patrick J. McCleer, Terry O. Hendrick
  • Patent number: 9303730
    Abstract: A twin clutch type transmission connected to an engine of a vehicle and the like in which an end portion of the main shaft is held in the secure and compact manner to contribute to efficient operation of the transmission. In the twin clutch type transmission, the first and second hydraulic disk clutches are coaxially provided to be adjacent with each other, and the inner and outer shafts of the main shaft as a coaxial dual structure are connected to the respective disk clutches coaxially. The ball bearing fixed to the transmission case with the holder plate pierces the left end portion of the inner shaft so as to be supported, and further to be tightened and fixed to the ball bearing with the locknut screwed with the leading end of the left end portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tomoo Shiozaki
  • Patent number: 9302419
    Abstract: An extruder having an operative unit composed of a cylinder and at least two screw shafts which are rotatably accommodated therein, a gear unit having at least two output shafts, wherein each output shaft, via a connecting element, is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to one screw shaft, a motor which drives the gear unit and is coupled to the gear unit via a clutch, and a controller installation, wherein each connecting element or each output shaft is assigned a separate measuring installation for determining the applied torque, wherein the measuring installations communicate with the controller installation which, depending on the individual determined torques, controls the clutch which is implemented as a switchable clutch, wherein the controller installation is configured for opening the clutch both when a determined torque exceeds a torque limit value and also when the difference between the two determined torques exceeds a limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: LEISTRITZ EXTRUSIONSTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Frank Rechter, Sven Wolf
  • Patent number: 9303749
    Abstract: A power switching device includes a power transmission unit and a driving unit. The transmission unit includes a differential, an axle aligned with the differential, and a coupler sleeved movably on one of the differential and the axle. The driving unit includes a controller, a first transmission mechanism driven by the controller, and a second transmission mechanism driven by the first transmission mechanism. The controller is a solenoid or an electric actuator, and is operable to activate the second transmission mechanism. The coupler can be moved by the second transmission mechanism to interconnect the differential and the axle, so as to allow for co-rotation of the axle with the differential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: KWANG YANG MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chi-Han Chang, Chao-Chang Ho
  • Patent number: 9303728
    Abstract: A rotary actuator includes a rotation shaft rotatably driven by a motor, an internal gear provided on an outer side of the rotation shaft in a radial direction of the rotation shaft, a rotation output section provided between the rotation shaft and the internal gear in the radial direction to reduce a rotation speed outputted from the rotation shaft and to output a power in conjunction with the internal gear, a cylindrical housing portion fixed to the internal gear, and an attachment member integrated with an outer wall of the housing portion. The internal gear has a protrusion protruding from an outer wall of the internal gear, and the housing portion has a recess into which the protrusion is inserted. The attachment member has an attachment hole that is different from the recess in position in a circumferential direction of the housing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mikine Kume, Seiji Nakayama, Taku Itoh
  • Patent number: 9290882
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a clutch for a laundry appliance. The clutch selectively connects a laundry vessel to a variable speed drive. A driven member is rotationally coupled to the variable speed drive and a driven member is rotationably coupled to the laundry vessel. The driven member is at least partially rotationally coupled to the driven member by friction. At least one locking element is moveable from an unlocked position to a locking position. The driven member and the driven member are rotationally coupled together once the driven member accelerates to a rotational speed above a first rotational speed, connecting the laundry vessel to the variable speed drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Fisher & Paykel Appliances Limited
    Inventors: Geoffrey Paul Batt, Sophie Elizabeth Lane, David Charles Rhodes, Ian Campbell McGill
  • Patent number: 9261186
    Abstract: A transmission having a rotating clutch pack assembly is provided, the rotating clutch pack having an interconnecting member, a plurality of friction discs, a rotating member, a first and a second axial bearing, and a biasing member. The interconnecting member is connected for common rotation with a member of the planetary gear set. The rotating member is connected to the second set of friction discs for common rotation. The first axial bearing is disposed between the clutch piston and the plurality of friction discs and the second axial bearing is disposed between the plurality of friction discs and the transmission housing. The biasing member is disposed between the interconnecting member and the rotating member. A clutch piston selectively applies an axial force through the first axial bearing, the plurality of friction discs, and the second axial bearing to the transmission housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Tejinder Singh, Boris Burgman, John A. Diemer
  • Patent number: 9255633
    Abstract: In a drive arrangement for wheels of a motor vehicle which are driven by an electric machine via a differential, an electric machine which has a ring shaped rotor drives a drive element of the differential, whose output shafts output to the wheels of the motor vehicle. The ring shaped rotor of the electric machine outputs to the input element of the differential via a gear mechanism and the differential is integrated in the rotor thereby allowing for a structurally compact construction and enabling favorable transmission ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Johann Märkl
  • Patent number: 9249840
    Abstract: The invention relates to a drive assembly on a twin-clutch transmission for motor vehicles, including two clutches which are axially connected in succession in a transmission housing and are positioned between spaced-apart end walls of the transmission housing and which have each a preferably drum-shaped drive element which is driven by an input shaft of the transmission, with the clutches being in driving relationship, preferably alternatingly, via two preferably pot-shaped output elements with two output shafts in coaxial arrangement to the input shafts. According to the invention, the input shaft (14) which is rotatably mounted in the region of a first end wall (12a) is guided up to the second end wall (10a) located in opposition to the first end wall (12a) and is rotatably mounted there indirectly via the output shafts (24, 26) which are also rotatably mounted in the region of the second end wall (10a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Fleischmann, Rupert Wagner
  • Patent number: 9249864
    Abstract: A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, at least four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes actuatable in combinations of two to establish a plurality of forward gear ratios and one reverse gear ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Edward W. Mellet, James M. Hart, James B. Borgerson
  • Patent number: 9234551
    Abstract: A transmission and a clutch assembly for a vehicle are disclosed. The clutch assembly includes a housing defining a cavity presenting an interior surface. The interior surface defines a pocket along a longitudinal axis. The clutch assembly further includes a piston disposed in the pocket and movable between an initial position and a final position relative to the pocket along the longitudinal axis. The piston includes a plurality of flanges extending outwardly away from the longitudinal axis. The clutch assembly also includes a biasing member attached to the interior surface of the housing and engaging the piston to continuously bias the piston toward the initial position. The biasing member abuts the flanges of the piston to prevent rotation of the piston about the longitudinal axis as the piston moves between the initial and final positions along the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Scott William Heitzenrater, Robert Neil Paciotti, Douglas John Dwenger, Larry D. Diemer, John A. Diemer
  • Patent number: 9234583
    Abstract: A hydraulic system for supplying fluid to a torque converter of an automatic transmission for a vehicle driven by a power source includes a torque converter including an impeller, a turbine, and an impeller clutch for alternately engaging and disengaging a drive connection between the impeller and the power source, a hydraulic control system producing line pressure and converter charge pressure that communicates with the impeller clutch, a discharge line communicating with the impeller clutch and through which hydraulic fluid discharges from the torque converter at a discharge pressure similar to the first pressure, thereby minimizing a pressure differential across the impeller clutch tending to disengage the impeller clutch, and an oil cooler to which fluid is supplied from at least one of the source of line pressure and the converter discharge line and from which fluid returns to the control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: James T. Gooden, Jacob M. Povirk, William R. Simpson
  • Patent number: 9234550
    Abstract: An actuator apparatus for a clutch that operates the clutch of a transmission according to operation of a motor, may include the motor including a stator and a rotator, wherein the rotator has a drive shaft and a rotator core receiving the drive shaft therein, a lead screw engaged to the drive shaft of the motor and movable in a length direction thereof according to the operation of the drive shaft in the motor, a rod disposed apart from the lead screw, a slider connecting the lead screw with the rod, and a guide rail disposed to contact with the slider and guiding a linear motion of the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Keyang Electric Machinery CO., LTD., Pyeong Hwa Valeo CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hee Ra Lee, Baekyu Kim, Yeonho Kim, Man-Dae Hur, Hongchcol Moon, Jinho Jang, Wookyo Jang, Jungchul Kim, Namhun Lee
  • Patent number: 9211786
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an engine drivingly connected to a first pair of drive wheels by a transmission. A first motor generator is coupled to the engine to provide drive torque to the transmission for driving the first pair of drive wheels. A second motor generator is drivingly connected to a flywheel by a planetary gear system. The planetary gear system is connected to a second pair of drive wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Alan G. Holmes, Shawn Scott Hawkins, Steven A. Tarnowsky, Brendan M. Conlon