Patents Examined by Tran Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11618434
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an electric machine, an engine selectively coupled to the electric machine by a disconnect clutch, and a controller. The controller is programmed to, in response to a change in the driver-demanded torque necessitating starting of the engine: determine a state of driving (SOD) based on the change in driver-demanded torque, wherein the SOD is indicative of a desired responsiveness of the vehicle, and the desired responsiveness increases as SOD increases; command a speed target to the engine equal to a predicted motor speed associated with the driver-demanded torque plus an offset that is based on the SOD; and command a capacity to the disconnect clutch at a rate and a magnitude based on the SOD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Scott James Thompson, Rajit Johri, Jason Meyer, Francis Connolly, Minku Lee, Justin Panhans, Bradley Dean Riedle, Arun Sebastian, Ameya Gadre, Corey James Blue, Andrew Burt
  • Patent number: 11598404
    Abstract: A gear assembly for a motor vehicle comprising at least one shaft, at least one gear component arranged on the shaft, at least one engagement component which is engaged with the gear component or can be brought into engagement with the gear component, and at least one damping element. The damping element is arranged in an operative manner between the gear component and the engagement component and/or between the gear component and the shaft, and wherein the damping element is produced at least in part from amorphous metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: MAGNA POWERTRAIN GMBH & CO KG
    Inventor: Thomas Schnabel
  • Patent number: 11598415
    Abstract: A gearwheel (10), in particular a parking interlock gear, includes an annular body (1). The annular body includes a first toothing (2), arranged on an outer circumference of the annular body, for engaging a locking pawl (20), and a second toothing (3), arranged on an inner circumference of the annular body, for the form-locking connection to a shaft (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventor: Ulrich Kehr
  • Patent number: 11597377
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes an overlapping-prediction determination portion configured to determine whether or not it is predicted that, during execution of a synchronous control for placing a clutch, which is provided between an engine and an electric motor, into an engaged state, a synchronization-completion time point of the clutch overlaps with an inertia phase period in process of a shift control of a transmission, and a torque limitation portion configured, when the overlapping-prediction determination portion determines that it is predicted that the synchronization-completion time point overlaps with the inertia phase period, to execute a torque limitation by which at least one of a torque capacity of the clutch and an output torque of the engine is made smaller than when the overlapping-prediction determination portion determines that it is not predicted that the synchronization-completion time point overlaps with the inertia phase period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keigo Matsubara, Masayuki Baba, Tomoya Inayoshi, Takuma Sugino
  • Patent number: 11584359
    Abstract: A control device of a hybrid vehicle of the disclosure includes a clutch controller configured to perform slip control of a hydraulic clutch in response to satisfaction of a start condition of an engine and to perform pressure increase control of increasing a hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic clutch with elapse of time after a rotation speed difference between the engine and a motor enters a predetermined range; and an engine controller configured to start fuel injection and ignition of the engine before the rotation speed difference enters the predetermined range, to control the engine such that the rotation speed of the engine becomes equal to a target rotation speed after the start of the fuel injection and the ignition, and to increase the target rotation speed of the engine as an angular acceleration of the motor becomes larger during execution of the pressure increase control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Keigo Matsubara, Nobufusa Kobayashi, Tomoya Inayoshi
  • Patent number: 11578779
    Abstract: Intermediate plate apparatus and related damper assemblies for use with vehicles are disclosed. A disclosed vehicle torque converter includes a clutch and a torsional vibration damper configured to receive a torque from the clutch when the clutch is engaged and dampen a torsional vibration in the torque. The torsional vibration damper includes a driven plate, a retainer plate, a first spring member, a second spring member, and an intermediate plate positioned radially outward relative to the driven plate and the retainer plate. The intermediate plate includes a body that defines an annular cavity though which the first and second spring members extend. The body is configured to engage inner and outer radial portions of the respective first and second spring members to maintain bend radii of the respective first and second spring members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: VALEO KAPEC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Antoine Cantenot, Sungchul Lee
  • Patent number: 11560141
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a first rotary electric machine, a second rotary electric machine, and a control circuit. When the control circuit determines that a failure has occurred in the first rotary electric machine, the control circuit places the first rotary electric machine and a first transmission path as a power transmission path of the vehicle in the disconnection state, and places the second rotary electric machine and the first transmission path in the connection state. Further, when the control circuit determines that a failure has occurred in the second rotary electric machine, the control circuit places the first rotary electric machine and a first transmission path in the connection state, and place the second rotary electric machine and the first transmission path in the disconnection state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshito Tsukamoto
  • Patent number: 11541555
    Abstract: A robot wrist structure includes: a case, a first motor, a second motor, a first transmission mechanism, a second transmission mechanism, a first driving bevel gear, a second driving bevel gear, a driven bevel gear, a retaining fame, and an output connecting member; wherein the first motor and the second motor are mounted on the case, the first driving bevel gear, the second driving bevel gear and the driven bevel gear are respectively rotatably mounted in the retaining frame, the first driving bevel gear and the second driving bevel gear are both in mesh with the driven bevel gear, the first motor is connected to the first driving bevel gear by the first transmission mechanism, the second motor is connected to the second driving bevel gear by the second transmission mechanism, and the output connecting member is fixedly connected to the driven bevel gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignees: CLOUDMINDS (BEIJING) TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD., CLOUDMINDS ROBOTICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haotian Cui, Xunge Yan, Cheng Luo, William Xiao-qing Huang
  • Patent number: 11519486
    Abstract: A hydrodynamic torque converter (1) with a lock-up clutch (6) in a clutch space, (9) and with a piston (7) for activating of the lock-up clutch (6). The piston (7) separates the clutch space (9) from a piston chamber (10). The piston (7), via the application of pressure, can be moved, from a starting position in which the lock-up clutch (6) is disengaged, in the engaging direction of the lock-up clutch (6). The piston (7) has at least a closable opening (11) through which hydraulic fluid can flow from the piston chamber (10) into the clutch space (9). The opening (11) is open if either the piston (7) is away from the starting position and/or if a fluid pressure in the piston chamber (10), compared to the clutch space (9), is elevated. The closing element (12, 13) is tongue-shaped element which serves closing and opening of the opening (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Horst Leichsenring, Ewgeni Bayer
  • Patent number: 11519492
    Abstract: The subject matter described herein includes an upgraded planetary gearbox including an input support provided with an input transmission element axially rotatable and connectable to an external appliance, an output support provided with an output transmission element axially rotatable and connectable to an external appliance or to an external tool, at least one planetary wheelwork operationally placed between the input transmission element and the output transmission element, and a static coupling member between the planetary wheelwork and at least one of either the input support or the output support, wherein at least one of the static coupling member, the input support and the output support includes a measuring sensor for measuring the drive torque transmitted by the output transmission element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: DINAMIC OIL S.P.A.
    Inventors: Andrea Malaguti, Alan Bertani
  • Patent number: 11512752
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a clutch arrangement (500) of a vehicle transmission arrangement (100), the clutch arrangement (500) being positioned within a clutch bell housing (206) of the vehicle transmission and comprising a pneumatically controlled actuator arrangement (208) connectable to a first clutch unit (202) of the vehicle transmission arrangement (100) and arranged to controllably position the first clutch unit (202) between a closed position and an opened position, a pneumatically controlled brake actuator arrangement (210) connectable to a second clutch unit (204) of the transmission arrangement and arranged to controllably position the second clutch unit (204) between a closed position and an opened position, and a valve unit (302) connected to the pneumatically controlled actuator arrangement (208) and the pneumatically controlled brake actuator arrangement (210), wherein the valve unit (302) comprises a clutch valve (308) arranged in fluid communication with the pneumatically controlled ac
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lars Zetterstrand, Fredrik Sjöqvist
  • Patent number: 11498566
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a transmission, a powerplant, an inertial measurement unit, and a controller. The transmission has an input shaft and an output shaft. The powerplant is configured to generate and deliver torque to the input shaft. The inertial measurement unit is configured to measure inertial forces exerted onto the vehicle. The controller is programmed to, in response to a demanded torque at the output shaft and a non-transient condition of the vehicle, control the torque at the output shaft based on a torque at the input shaft and a gear ratio of the step-ratio transmission. The controller is further programmed to, in response to the demanded torque at the output shaft and a transient condition of the vehicle, control the torque at the output shaft based on the inertial forces and a vehicle velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Fengyi Chen, Yijing Zhang, Bradley Dean Riedle, Weitian Chen, Yuji Fujii
  • Patent number: 11479255
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a transmission unit for an electric vehicle and a control method for the transmission unit. The transmission unit comprises a transmission output shaft, a first electric motor having a first output shaft that can be coupled with the transmission output shaft via a first or a second gear set, wherein a first clutch element is arranged between the first gear set and the transmission output shaft and a second clutch element is arranged between the second gear set and the transmission output shaft, and a second electric motor having a second output shaft coupled with the transmission output shaft via a third gear set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Dana Motion Systems Italia S.R.L.
    Inventor: Riccardo Morselli
  • Patent number: 11458968
    Abstract: A braking/driving force control system, during control for maintaining a target vehicle speed, performs fuel cut and then, when a required braking/driving force for maintaining the target vehicle speed reduces, makes a downshift while fuel cut is continued. The braking/driving force control system causes a brake to generate a braking force such that the sum of a braking/driving force that a powertrain generates and the braking force that the brake generates agrees with the required braking/driving force. Thus, good fuel efficiency and riding comfort are obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomonori Nonami, Shin Nomura, Takeshi Inoguchi, Yoshihide Nakane
  • Patent number: 11441680
    Abstract: A control device for an automatic transmission includes a parking lock mechanism configured to lock/unlock rotation of a power transmission shaft by setting a parking rod at locked/unlocked position when the automatic transmission is in a parking range or in other ranges, a parking drive mechanism configured to set the parking rod at the unlocked position by supplying hydraulic pressure, a hydraulic pressure control valve configured to intercept the hydraulic pressure supply to the parking drive mechanism when power is supplied thereto, and supply the pressure when power is not supplied thereto, a regulating mechanism configured to regulate the movement of the parking rod at the locked position, and a controller configured to, when the parking rod is at the locked position, maintain supply of power to the valve, while an engine speed is higher than a given value, after power of a vehicle is turned OFF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Kimura, Kenji Sawa, Yasuo Shigenaka
  • Patent number: 11440525
    Abstract: A method for setting an idling speed of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle, in which the idling speed of the internal combustion engine is increased if a predetermined power request within an on-board power system of the motor vehicle is detected, wherein a generator for electrically supplying the on-board power system is driven by the internal combustion engine, and wherein the internal combustion engine is connected to a transmission of the motor vehicle, wherein the connection between the internal combustion engine and the transmission is disconnected, and/or a predetermined braking force is made available by means of at least one brake of the motor vehicle if the predetermined power request is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Michael Vogt
  • Patent number: 11434961
    Abstract: A clutch actuator for actuating a clutch in the drive train of a motor vehicle, having a housing, a drive, a pushrod, which can be adjusted in an axial direction by the drive, a tappet, which is coupled to the pushrod, and a guide component which is accommodated movably in the housing and receives that end of the tappet which faces the pushrod. At least one stroke sensor, which is associated with the guide component, and a rotation angle sensor, which is associated with the drive, are provided. Embodiments relate to an assembly having a clutch actuator of this kind and a controller, the controller is set up and designed to determine the start of the release stroke of a clutch actuated by the clutch actuator from a comparison of the signal of the stroke sensor and the signal of the rotation angle sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: FTE automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Dimitri Ostrohov, Paul Stawinoga
  • Patent number: 11420615
    Abstract: A powertrain system includes a control device configured, where an engine speed at the time of detection of an acceleration request with a high acceleration request index value is lower than a specific engine speed, to: set the specific engine speed as an initial target engine speed for an acceleration associated with the acceleration request; and in a first acceleration time period before reaching the initial target engine speed, control an internal combustion engine in accordance with a first target engine power based on the initial target engine speed and supply, to an electric motor, a battery power corresponding to a difference obtained by subtracting the first target engine power from a required vehicle power. The specific engine speed is a value predetermined as a lower limit value of an engine speed range in which engine sound of the internal combustion engine is heard inside the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshihito Kanno
  • Patent number: 11390268
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle having: an engine; a torque converter having a lock-up clutch; an engagement element disposed downstream of the torque converter; a drive shaft disposed downstream of the engagement element; and an electric motor disposed downstream of the engagement element, and connected to the drive shaft includes a control portion adapted to: in a case where an electric travel mode in which the lock-up clutch and the engagement element are disengaged is switched to an engine travel mode in which the lock-up clutch is disengaged and the engagement element is engaged, decrease driving torque of the electric motor after engagement of the engagement element; and gradually decrease the driving torque of the electric motor while gradually increasing driving torque of the engine after the driving torque of the electric motor is decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignees: JATCO LTD, NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaharu Mochizuki, Yoshimasa Nishihiro, Takashi Enomoto
  • Patent number: 11384833
    Abstract: An automatic transmission comprising a control valve body adapted to control oil flow within the transmission, a torque converter having a torque converter clutch operable in one of an open and an applied condition, a first control circuit between the control valve body and the torque converter and a second control circuit between the control valve body and the torque converter, a first oil path that provides a fluid connection between the first control circuit and the torque converter, a second oil path that provides a fluid connection between the second control circuit and the torque converter, a third oil path that provides a fluid connection between the second control circuit and the torque converter clutch, and an orifice that provides a fluid connection between the second control circuit and the torque converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Edward W. Mellet, Leonid Basin, Clinton E. Carey