Patents Examined by Troy Chambers
  • Patent number: 8905208
    Abstract: A driving force transmission apparatus includes: a housing having an inner peripheral spline portion; an inner shaft having an outer peripheral spline portion; a main clutch including first outer and inner clutch plates respectively engaged with the inner and outer peripheral spline portions; a cam mechanism generating pressing force for pressing the main clutch by relatively rotating a pair of cam members; and an electromagnetic clutch mechanism including an armature engaged with the inner peripheral spline portion and applying rotation force to the cam mechanism for relatively rotating the cam members through energization of an electromagnetic coil. An end face facing the armature is formed in the inner peripheral spline portion between a first region engaged with the first outer clutch plate and a second region engaged with the armature. Movement of the armature toward the first region is regulated by contact of the armature with the end face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignees: JTEKT Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Sawada, Mikiharu Oyabu, Yasunari Saito, Masakatsu Kani, Shun Ohno, Hirotake Ito, Yoshihiro Ikushima
  • Patent number: 8904898
    Abstract: An electronic shift lever apparatus of an automatic transmission improving operability which may be provided in a room of a vehicle adopting the automatic transmission, may include a base having a lower member fixed to the vehicle and an upper member positioned above the lower member, a frame engaged to the upper member and horizontally slidable with respect to the upper member, a shift lock controlling device disposed between the frame and the upper member of the base and selectively locking the frame to the base, and an upper cover positioned above the frame, slidable vertically, and selectively unlocking the shift lock controlling device which controls an engaging state of the frame to the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Jeehyuck Choi
  • Patent number: 8905204
    Abstract: What is presented is a mechanical arm assembly with a novel roller thrust bearing. The mechanical arm assembly comprises a first arm having a first end and a second end. A first roller thrust bearing is mounted to the first end and to a ceiling. A second roller thrust bearing mounted to the second end. Each roller thrust bearing comprises a first bearing body and a second bearing body able to rotate relative to each other. Each roller thrust bearing has a solenoid powered brake comprising two brake shoes each with a high friction brake pad mounted to a hinge body affixed to the first bearing body, a brake drum mounted to the second bearing body, a tension spring pushing the brake shoes against the brake drum, and a mechanism for disengaging the brake shoes from the brake drum. The mechanism comprises a slider body with space for two pins, two ball bearings, and a plunger with sloped surfaces on one end and a mounting provision on the other. A solenoid is attached to the mounting provision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Amico Clinical Solutions
    Inventors: Raj K. Chandan, Varun Chandan, Wayne M. Benson
  • Patent number: 8905217
    Abstract: A controller is provided and may monitor a pressure of brake fluid and a state of a transmission of a vehicle. The controller may maintain predetermined brake pressure below a threshold pressure required to prevent movement of the vehicle in response to movement of the transmission into a park state and in response to a drop in brake pressure below the threshold pressure to permit the vehicle to roll with resistance for a predetermined time following the drop of brake pressure below the threshold pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC
    Inventor: Paul H. Stoloff
  • Patent number: 8904894
    Abstract: A backlash-compensating mobile (1) intended to form a gear with a second mobile (2) and having rigid teeth (4, 5) and backlash-compensating leaf springs (16), is characterized in that the rigid teeth (4, 5) are distributed in groups of consecutive teeth, each group having a first rigid tooth (4) and a second rigid tooth (5) having respective mutually facing meshing flanks (10, 11) to permit the displacement of the second mobile (2) in both directions, and in that the leaf springs (16) are interleaved between these groups in spaces not intended to receive the teeth (3) of the second mobile (2), and extend beyond the tip circle (Ca) of the rigid teeth (4, 5) in order to cooperate with the second mobile (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Patek Philippe SA Geneve
    Inventor: Sylvain Geiser
  • Patent number: 8900080
    Abstract: A power transmission apparatus for a vehicle is provided which is equipped with a power split device and a speed variator. The power transmission device is designed to set a speed ratio of speed of rotation of an output of a power source to speed of rotation of a driven wheel in a power circulation mode of a power split device to lie within one of a positive range in which a sign of the speed ratio is positive and a negative range in which a sign of the speed ratio is negative. This results in a decrease in degree of torque acting on the speed variator such as a continuously variable transmission, thus permitting a required degree of durability of the speed variator to be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Koji Kawasaki, Takenori Matsue
  • Patent number: 8899120
    Abstract: A linear actuator is provided which includes a motor and a screw as an output shaft and in which the rotational movement of the motor is converted into the linear movement of the screw, wherein at least one retainer to hold a plurality of balls is disposed at the inner periphery of a hollow rotor of the motor, a ball screw is formed at the outer periphery of the screw, the balls are engaged with the ball screw such that the screw is set coaxial to the rotor, and wherein the screw provided with the ball screw is moved linearly by means of the rotation of the balls disposed circumferentially at the inner periphery of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Manabu Nakamura, Masahiro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8899127
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a safety trigger mechanism and functional frame for motion furniture for driving a drive mechanism of motion furniture. The safety trigger mechanism includes a mounting board, and a pull wire, a fork and a first restoring spring connected in turn. The fork is mounted turnably about a first rivet on the mounting board by the first rivet, and a bent hook is disposed on one end of the fork and interlocked with a driving arm of the drive mechanism. The safety trigger mechanism further includes a safety hook with a notch, which is mounted turnably about a second rivet on the mounting board by the second rivet. One side edge of the safety hook abuts against the bent hook of the fork, and the driving arm has an arresting pin disposed thereon. The initial position of the arresting pin is in the notch of the safety hook, and the arresting pin is detached from the notch of the safety hook when the safety hook turns clockwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Shanghai Industries Group, Ltd.
    Inventors: Guoliang Du, Paul L. Chen, Jianjun Hu, Benny Mack Owens
  • Patent number: 8900081
    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: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Kw Ang Yang Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chi-Han Chang, Chao-Chang Ho
  • Patent number: 8899123
    Abstract: An exemplary gear transmission device includes a driving assembly including a driving shaft, a shaft coupling, a circular driving gear, a resilient mechanism and a driven gear engaging with the driving gear. The shaft coupling is fixed to the driving shaft and rotatable in unison with rotation of the driving shaft. The circular driving gear substantially surrounds and is operatively coupled to the shaft coupling and rotatable under urging of the shaft coupling. The resilient mechanism is held between the driving gear and the shaft coupling and is elastically deformable in circumferential directions of the shaft coupling. When the driving gear moves axially and collides with the driven gear without meshing with the driven gear, the driving gear rotates slightly relative to the shaft coupling thereby elastically deforming the resilient mechanism and the driving gear reaches a position where it can mesh with the driven gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Cheng-Yi Lai, Tzu-Hsiu Hung
  • Patent number: 8899397
    Abstract: A clutch control system of a clutch apparatus for a vehicle, includes a regulator valve switchable between a first mode in which a fluid pressure of a hydraulic fluid to a pressurized chamber is regulated to a first predetermined fluid pressure and a second mode in which the fluid pressure to a canceller chamber is regulated to a second predetermined fluid pressure, the regulator valve discharging a portion of the hydraulic fluid as a drain lubricant to the clutch portion, a switching valve switchable between a supply mode in which the hydraulic fluid is supplied to the pressurized chamber and a discharge mode in which the pressurized chamber is connected to a reservoir, and a control valve controlling the regulator valve to be switched between the first mode and the second mode and controlling the switching valve to be switched between the supply mode and the discharge mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Ito, Minoru Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8899122
    Abstract: A transmission system has a clutch module which has a single input and two outputs, where clutch devices are located between the outputs and the input. The transmission system further includes a transmission module which has two inputs and a single output, the transmission module comprising at least two sub-transmissions where at least a single speed transforming gear or a single transmission clutch is located between an input and an output of each sub-transmission. The two outputs of the clutch module are connected here to both inputs of the transmission module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: DTI Group, B.V.
    Inventors: Roell Marie Van Druten, Alexander Franciscus Anita Serrarens, Bas Gerard Vroemen
  • Patent number: 8900086
    Abstract: A hydraulic system for a vehicle clutch assembly can include an on-demand variable displacement pump and a purge valve for regulating hydraulic pressure supplied to the clutch(es). The hydraulic pressure at the pump can have multiple displacement settings to compensate for variable changes in clutch pressure requirements. The purge valve can be configured to purge hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic system so that an optimum, controllable, and/or pre-determined operating pressure can be supplied to the clutch(es). The system can be configured to provide accurate control of clutch(es) when a drivetrain is being automatically controlled to switch between a low gear ratio and a high gear ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsushi Asano, Bobbie Burke, Andrew J. Fox
  • Patent number: 8899121
    Abstract: A spindle drive having a threaded spindle driveable in a rotational fashion, a carriage adjustable via the threaded spindle along a guide rail, and several guide carriages arranged in front and behind the carriage in the feed direction to support the spindle, with the guide carriages arranged in front of the carriage in an accumulating motion being pushed together successively by the carriage towards the spindle end, and with the guide carriages arranged behind the carriage being entrained by a coupling mechanism and moved into allocated support positions. Coupling elements are provided on the guide carriages and the carriage, that cooperate together and can be operated by switching elements fixed on the guide rail, by which the guide carriages arranged in front of the carriage are automatically coupled during the successive displacement motion, and by which the entrained guide carriages upon reaching their support position are automatically decoupled and fixed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Roland Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8899126
    Abstract: A robot according to the present disclosure includes a support structure and at least three main arms mounted to be movable relative to the support structure, wherein the outer ends facing away from the support structure are movable to different spatial positions relative to the support structure and relative to each other. The robot further comprises connecting elements having the same lengths by means of which the outer end of each main arm can be connected at a defined distance from the outer end of the two adjacent main arms. The present disclosure also provides a method of calibrating a robot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Multivac Sepp Haggenmuller GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Norbert Wörz
  • Patent number: 8893570
    Abstract: A ball screw with an oil-storage unit, the oil-storage unit includes an oil tank and a connector. The connector has one end formed in the form of a convex or concave structure, and the connecting end of the oil tank is also in the form of a concave or convex structure for engaging with the connector, so as to achieve quick assembling of the connector onto the oil tank through the engagement of the convex and concave structures. Since the oil-storage unit can be quickly replaced after the oil is used up, which provides an automatic and continuous self-lubricating function to the ball screw, and consequently extending the service life of the ball screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Hiwin Technologies Corp.
    Inventor: Yung-Tsai Chuo
  • Patent number: 8893568
    Abstract: In a self-lubricating transmission device 1, a compression helical spring 15 is provided to urge an impregnation metal 14 as an impregnation means so as to slidably contact the impregnation metal 14 with pin rollers 7. In combination with a rotational movement of a pinion 6, the pin rollers 7 slide on a lower surface 14d of the impregnation metal 14 to supply a lubrication oil W to the pin rollers 7 so as to automatically lubricate the pinion 6 evenly at the right time for an appropriate amount of the lubrication oil W. This obviates the lubrication oil W being wastefully used, while at the same time, making a lubrication work quick, labor-saving and user-friendly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Kamoseiko Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshitake Katayama
  • Patent number: 8894530
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improved hypocycloidal crank apparatus employing as a stator an internally toothed, continuous, synchronous belt. The apparatus is quiet, easily repaired, and does not require lubrication. It is useful for driving air pumps and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Inventor: Thomas M. Read
  • Patent number: 8893870
    Abstract: A dual shift coupling including two operatively connected coupling units mounted on a shared, integrally formed inner body in a rotationally fixed and axially movable manner. Further, a multi-part pressure disk is arranged between the coupling units in an axially fixed manner and is supported by the inner body, and has two axially movable pressure pistons ventilated by respective pressure spring assemblies arranged in the inner body. A radial notch for accommodating the pressure disk is provided in the inner body, wherein the radial depth of the notch extends at least to radial inner wall segments of recesses for the pressure spring assemblies. Each pressure spring assembly has a plurality of pressure springs which rest on the inner side of the pressure disk relative to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: GKN Stromag AG
    Inventors: Robert Rank, Matthias Glomm, Christian Hampel, Thomas Haeseker
  • Patent number: 8893569
    Abstract: Disclosed is a power-transmitting apparatus. A power-transmitting apparatus of the present invention comprises: a pin gear provided with a plurality of pins capable of rolling movement; and a spur gear provided with a plurality of teeth and en-gagingly coupled to the pin gear so as to be relatively movable, wherein the spur gear teeth are formed with a cycloid tooth shape, and a polygonal tooth root space is formed at a tooth root region of the spur gear. As compared to a trochoid tooth shape, the tooth shape of the spur gear engagingly coupled to the pin gear so as to be relatively movable according to the present invention has a greater tooth size so that it can be applied as a cycloid tooth shape capable of maintaining a sufficient tooth contact ratio, and can resolve a reduction in tooth thickness and the wedging of the pins from an undercut at the tooth root region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Sejin-Igb Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sun Ho Lim