Patents Examined by Troy Chambers
  • Patent number: 8893574
    Abstract: A ball screw with sectional circulating assemblies comprises an inner circulating block and an outer circulating block. In assembly, the inner circulating block is initially placed between the screw shaft and the nut before the rolling balls and the screw shaft are positioned, thus preventing the rolling balls from dropping out and the interference with the threads of the screw shaft. After the rolling balls and the screw shaft are positioned, the outer circulating block is placed into the nut and engaged with the inner circulating block, and the outer circulating block is fixed to the nut. This method can maintain the tightness of the nut, thus preventing the leakage of noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Hiwin Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Hung-Sung Pan, Wen-Chia Wu
  • Patent number: 8893577
    Abstract: An umbilical member arrangement unit of a robot arm section for avoiding interference between the umbilical member and external equipment has a first fixing member attached to a nonrotating part and adapted to nonslidably fix the umbilical member, and a second fixing member attached to a rotating part so as to integrally rotate with the rotating part and adapted to nonslidably fix the umbilical member. When the rotating part is positioned at a center position of a rotational motion range thereof about the longitudinal axis, the first and second fixing members direct the umbilical member along first and second tangential lines, respectively, the two tangential lines being generally perpendicular to each other, and, the fixing members are positioned in the same region in relation to two regions defined by a boundary plane parallel to the second tangential line, on which the longitudinal axis lies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Ibayashi, Munehiro Jinushi, Hirokazu Kume
  • Patent number: 8894525
    Abstract: In a driving apparatus for a hybrid vehicle having an internal combustion engine and first and second electric rotating machines, it is configured to have a speed increasing mechanism that increases speed of an output of the engine inputted through an input shaft and transmits it to the first electric rotating machine; a speed reducing mechanism that reduces speed of an output of the second electric rotating machine and transmits it to an output shaft; a first clutch adapted to connect and disconnect a first driving force transmission path coupling the speed increasing mechanism and the output shaft; and a second clutch adapted to connect and disconnect a second driving force transmission path coupling the engine and the output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Soichi Sugino
  • Patent number: 8894532
    Abstract: An arrangement comprising at least one dog clutch which is shiftable for coupling and decoupling a shaft and a component at a transmission. An actuating piston (5) is disposed axially movable, at least to some extent, within the shaft for moving a shifting claw (9) of the dog clutch into a disengaged state and an engaged state. The actuating piston (5) can be pressurized, on both sides, with a pressurizing medium so that the actuating piston (5) can be hydraulically actuated in both directions of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Peter Ziemer
  • Patent number: 8893572
    Abstract: A backlash eliminating device for helical gears is provided for a gear transmission system which includes a transmission shaft, two helical gears and a match gear. A sleeve mounted on the transmission shaft has an outer wall, an inner wall and at least two sections of spiral grooves penetrating through the outer wall and the inner wall. The sleeve includes a transmission part and two extremity parts. The transmission part is disposed between the spiral grooves, and is fixedly connected to the transmission shaft. The extremity parts are disposed outside of the spiral grooves. The helical gears are fixedly connected to the two extremity parts. The sleeve having the spiral grooves provides a preload spring force along an axial direction of the transmission shaft, so that the two helical gears are tightly engaged with the match gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Jinn-Fa Wu, Chiu-Hung Li, Hsi-Hung Hsiao, Chin-Mou Hsu
  • Patent number: 8894529
    Abstract: An example journal pin includes a generally cylindrical body disposed on an axis having a supply passage. A first chamber and a second chamber are disposed in the generally cylindrical body and are in fluid communication with the supply passage. A recess on an outer diameter of the cylindrical body is in fluid communication with the first chamber and the second chamber. The first chamber and second chamber are each radially outward of the supply passage and including an outlet to the recess. The first chamber and second chamber each have a first section radially inward of a second section. A cross sectional area of the second section is greater than a cross sectional area of the corresponding first section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Michael E. McCune
  • Patent number: 8887590
    Abstract: An automatic clearance compensation device for a support yoke of a rack-pinion type steering apparatus, includes: a hollow yoke cylinder integrally formed with a rack housing, wherein the yoke cylinder is positioned at the opposite side of a rack gear formed at a rack bar; a support yoke slidably inserted within the yoke cylinder and formed with a groove at its one side to be in contact with the outer surface of the rack bar; a spacer assembly installed within the yoke cylinder, contacting the other side of the support yoke. The device can automatically compensate for the clearance created due to the wear between the rack bar and the support yoke. Even when the external impacts are reversely transmitted, the device can remove the noise generated between the support yoke and the yoke plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Mando Corporation
    Inventor: Seung Jin Lee
  • Patent number: 8887588
    Abstract: A twin clutch type transmission in which, when establishing a reverse gear position, the driving force of an engine (E) is transmitted to driven wheels (W, W) via the path: even-numbered gear clutch (Ce)?second input shaft (13)?second input shaft gear (22)?idle shaft second gear (42)?idle shaft first gear (41)?first countershaft first gear (23)?first countershaft (14)?first countershaft second gear (24)?third countershaft second gear (34)?first speed-third speed synchronizing device (36)?third countershaft (16)?third countershaft third gear (35)?second output shaft gear (46)?second output shaft (19)?final drive gear (44)?final driven gear (48)?differential gear (47).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Shigeru Koyama, Mitsuru Torihata, Nobuhiro Kumagai, Hitoshi Tsukuda
  • Patent number: 8888640
    Abstract: A torque split type automatic transmission which transmits the torque output from an engine through two paths, adds the torque passing through and increased in each path, and outputs a final torque is provided, wherein the torque of the engine is divided into two portions by a torque split device and each portion of the torque is transmitted respectively to first and second power delivery paths, wherein the first power delivery path is directly connected to a driving wheel, and wherein the second power delivery path is provided with a launching device and a transmission device disposed in series so as to increase the torque, and output of the second power delivery path is added to the torque of the first power delivery path to output the final torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Duk Hwan Sung
  • Patent number: 8887889
    Abstract: A device for uncoupling a drive shaft of a piece of equipment from an input shaft. The device includes a claw including first teeth and first splines to (i) move longitudinally along a first of the shafts by co-operating with second splines borne by the second of the shafts and (ii) engage or disengage the first teeth in relation to the second teeth positioned on the second shaft. The device also includes a longitudinal movement mechanism including a stationary part acting on a longitudinally mobile piece to move the claw between a coupling position and an uncoupling position. The longitudinal movement mechanism drives the claw by co-operation between a rotationally fixed piece and a piece that is linked to the claw and rotated therewith, a longitudinal clearance being maintained during operation between the piece that is rotationally fixed and the rotated piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hispano Suiza
    Inventors: Vincent Abousleiman, Sylvain Canard, Andre Raymond Christian Deperrois, Romaric Fritz
  • Patent number: 8881616
    Abstract: A control actuator apparatus is presented having an actuator assembly providing three linear motion degrees of freedom relative to a base and three rotational degrees of freedom, and one or more additional actuators providing at least one additional degree of freedom, including a base structure, an XYZ stage, and an upper actuation assembly with a wrist angle stage, a forearm angle stage, and a digit angle stage providing relative positioning signals or values to facilitate machine control capabilities with a high number of degrees of freedom (high DoF).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: HDT Robotics, Inc.
    Inventors: Chad Alan Dize, Daniel R. Wahl, Thomas W. Van Doren
  • Patent number: 8881612
    Abstract: A vibration exciter is provided. The vibration exciter includes a shaft and at least two unbalanced weights arranged on the shaft, in which the radial distance of the common center of gravity of the unbalanced weights from the rotational axis of the shaft is adjustable in an infinitely variable way by means of a gear. The vibration exciter comprises a gear which is a spatial coupling gear, e.g. a spatial vibration slider gear. A simple and compact configuration of the vibration exciter is thus proposed, in which the required adjusting forces for changing the imbalance are very low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Bomag GmbH
    Inventor: Jens Wagner
  • Patent number: 8886417
    Abstract: Electronic shifting systems, mechanisms and methods of using the systems to operate a bicycle that allows front and rear gear changer mechanisms to be controlled with only two switches. The switches can be arranged so that each hand is only required to operate one switch to shift the bicycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: SRAM, LLC
    Inventor: Brian Jordan
  • Patent number: 8881883
    Abstract: A park lock of a transmission, including a park gear; a park pawl rotating about a pawl shaft, the park pawl having a pawl portion locking the park gear, the park pawl including a cam contact portion; a park rod responsive to an operation of a controller, the park rod having a cam portion pressing the cam contact portion to have park pawl engage the park gear; a park sleeve receiving the cam portion and defining a first contact point providing a reactive force to the cam contact portion of the park pawl pressing against the cam portion at a second contact point; a pawl torsional spring biasing the park pawl towards disengagement; and a pawl stopper limiting the rotation of the park pawl wherein motions are constrained within a plane of the transmission and components are rotatingly disposed in parallel axis bores in one half of a transmission case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignees: Tesla Motors, Inc., Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Augusto E. Barton, William Randall Fong, Gary Allen Pinkley, Edwin Marcum Pearce, Jr., Kunio Morisawa, Kazunori Kaneko, Koichi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8875598
    Abstract: A unit type wave gear device (1) has a unit housing (2), one end of which is defined by a two-stage cross roller bearing (7). The two-stage cross roller bearing (7) has: an inner cross roller bearing formed by an inner ring (13), an intermediate ring (12), and inner rollers (17) inserted into an inner track (16); and has an outer cross roller bearing formed by an outer ring (11), the intermediate ring (12), and outer rollers (15) inserted into an outer track (14). A flexible externally-toothed gear (22) affixed to the intermediate ring (12) is rotatably supported by the unit housing (2) via the outer cross roller bearing. An input shaft (4) affixed to the inner ring (13) and a wave generator (23) affixed to the input shaft (4) are rotatably supported by the intermediate ring (12) via the inner cross roller bearing. A unit type wave gear device can be realized in which the number of components are reduced and a large moment load is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Masashi Horiuchi, Akihiro Yokoyama, Naomi Shirasawa
  • Patent number: 8875594
    Abstract: A humanoid robot includes a spherical joint with three degrees of freedom in rotation about three axes, the spherical joint connecting a first element and a second element of the robot, and three actuators for moving the spherical joint. The three actuators include a first actuator coupled to the first element, a second actuator coupled to the second element and the first actuator, and a third actuator coupled to the second element and the first actuator. The second actuator and the third actuator act in parallel and coupled together. The first actuator acts in series with the second actuator and the third actuator about a first axis of the three axes. An angular range of movement about the first axis is greater than an angular range of movement about either a second axis or a third axis of the three axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: BIA
    Inventors: Samer Alfayad, Fathi Ben Ouezdou, Fayçal Namoun
  • Patent number: 8869644
    Abstract: An articulated robot wrist includes a first body comprising a first and a second end, said first end being intended to be mounted on a robot component that is rotatable around a first axis; a second body comprising a first and a second end, said first end being rotatably mounted on said second end of said first body, around a second axis inclined with respect to said first axis; and a third body comprising a first and a second end, said first end being rotatably mounted on said second end of said second body, around a third axis inclined with respect to said second axis. The first and third axes are both substantially orthogonal to said second axis, and wherein in at least one position of said robot wrist said first and third axes result substantially aligned with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Comau S.p.A.
    Inventors: Mauro Amparore, Giorgio Pernechele, Giuseppe Paparella
  • Patent number: 8869963
    Abstract: An arrangement for shifting a gearbox. The arrangement having first and second transmission components (14) and an axially movable shifting sleeve (17) such that the shifting sleeve (17) and the second transmission component (14) each have respective drive teeth (14a, 17a) that can be brought into engagement with one another. The drive teeth are in the form of beveloid teeth (14a, 17a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Michael Schiffhauer, Jörg Börner, Gabor Diosi
  • Patent number: 8870706
    Abstract: Power generated by an engine is inputted to a carrier of a first planetary gear mechanism. Power generated by a motor is inputted to a sun gear of a second planetary gear mechanism. Power from a ring gear of the first planetary gear mechanism and power from a carrier of the second planetary gear mechanism are combined and transmitted to an axle of driving wheels. While power input from the engine to the carrier of the first planetary gear mechanism is maintained, rotation of a sun gear of the first planetary gear mechanism is restricted with a first clutch, a second clutch or a first brake. While power input from the motor to the sun gear of the second planetary gear mechanism is maintained, rotation of a ring gear of the second planetary gear mechanism is restricted with a second brake or a third clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Tomonori Imamura, Shinichirou Koshimoto, Hiroshi Okada
  • Patent number: 8869645
    Abstract: An adjustment assembly for allowing or preventing adjustment of a component and an adjustable steering column are provided. A compression bracket is configured to support the steering column, a rake bracket is configured to support the compression bracket and an actuating lever is slidingly coupled to the compression bracket and slidable along a linear travel path. A linkage assembly is connected to the compression bracket and is coupled to one end of the actuating lever and a clamping assembly is coupled to the linkage assembly and configured to release a clamping force from the component upon movement of the actuating lever from a first position to a second position, and apply a clamping force to the component upon movement of the actuating lever from the second position to the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin M. Burns, Melvin L. Tinnin, John Schulz, Michael P. Anspaugh