Patents Examined by Valentin Craciun
  • Patent number: 8827858
    Abstract: A multi-speed countershaft transmission for a vehicle is provided. The transmission includes a main shaft and countershaft gears that receive input directly from an input member. A plurality of torque transmitting mechanisms may be selectively applied to synchronize a range gear to a countershaft. The countershaft transfers torque to an output gear set, which may transfer torque to a planetary gear set. The available range gears include a plurality of forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio. One or more power take-off sections may also be provided. One or more other torque transmitting mechanisms may be selectively applied to bypass the countershaft and/or to couple the planet carrier of the planetary gear set to another component of the planetary gear set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventor: Dane L. Rodgers, II
  • Patent number: 8820184
    Abstract: A manual transmission for vehicles minimizes rotational inertia and improves rattle as a consequence of preventing unnecessary idling of a first speed gear and a reverse speed gear by maintaining a first input gear to be a free gear state at all shift-speeds except a first forward speed and a reverse speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Wan Soo Oh, Jae Woong Hwang, Haeng Woo Park
  • Patent number: 8813589
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an eccentric moment stepless adjustable vibrating mechanism comprising a box body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Inventor: Zhongsheng Tang
  • Patent number: 8806971
    Abstract: A motor; an electromagnetic switch which; a clutch; and a shift lever which is configured by a pair of lever bodies that are arranged so that one side is engaged with a plunger and the other side is engaged with the clutch, and are provided. A passing through hole is formed at each end portion on the other side of the lever bodies; and an annular plate, which is arranged at an engaging portion of the clutch and on the inside of the other side of the lever bodies and has a convex shaped engaging portion to be passed through the passing through hole, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hayato Yamauchi, Yoshihiro Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 8794100
    Abstract: A remote controlled actuator includes a spindle for holding a tool, a spindle guide section of an elongated configuration, a distal end member rotatably supporting the spindle, and a drive unit housing connected to a base end of the spindle guide section. The distal end member is fitted to the spindle guide section for alteration in attitude. The spindle guide section includes an outer shell pipe, a rotary shaft, and guide pipe. Within the guide pipe, an attitude altering member is inserted to alter the attitude of the distal end member. A connection device detachably connects the spindle guide section with the drive unit housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Isobe, Takayoshi Ozaki
  • Patent number: 8795130
    Abstract: A drive unit disconnect mechanism is operable to transmit or disconnect power from a vehicle power source to a driven unit, and can be disengaged by multiple methods depending on how much force is required to separate the internal components of the mechanism. In a first, relatively quicker method, a handle is pulled axially away from the hub to withdraw and internal gear from splined engagement with a corresponding driven gear. In a second, relatively slower method, the handle is rotated to threadably withdraw the entire disconnect mechanism from the hub, which in turn withdraws the internal gear from splined engagement with the driven gear. The quicker method is desirable in most instances, but the slower method allows disconnection of the driven unit from the vehicle power source when gear pressure prevents or impedes the quicker method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Auburn Gear, Inc.
    Inventor: James L. Forrest
  • Patent number: 8783134
    Abstract: Gearing (1), in particular single-stage gearing having a transmission ratio of greater than 1 to 10, having an internal gear (2) with an internal toothing (5), a first toothed ring with radially movable first teeth (6) for engaging into the internal toothing (5), a second toothed ring with radially movable second teeth (7) for engaging into the internal toothing (5), an inner shaft (21) on which is fastened a first cam disk (16) for the radial drive of the first teeth (6) and a second cam disk (17) for the radial drive of the second teeth (7), and a load dividing device for dividing a torque transmitted via the toothed rings between the toothed rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Wittenstein AG
    Inventors: Frank Michel, Michael Schmidt, Thomas Bayer, Heiko Schreiber, Lars Estermann
  • Patent number: 8763488
    Abstract: The invention relates to an industrial robot, having a multiple-axis robot arm, with a base, a carousel that is rotatably supported relative to the base in reference to an axis and a mechanical stop device provided to limit a rotary motion of the carousel relative to the base. The stop device has a slider situated on the base, with stops situated at its ends, a trailing stop situated in the slider and a drive dog situated on the carousel. The drive dog and the slider are designed so that the drive dog is introduced into the slider by a corresponding rotary motion of the carousel relative to the axis and pushes the trailing stop against the relative stop. The trailing stop includes a plastically deformable damping element, which is provided to brake the carousel due to a plastic deformation caused by the trailing stop being pushed against the relevant stop by the drive dog.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: KUKA Roboter GmbH
    Inventor: Andre Reekers
  • Patent number: 8758191
    Abstract: A drive unit includes a main wheel having an annular member, and a plurality of driven rollers that are rotatably attached to the annular member, a plurality of first drive rollers and a plurality of second drive rollers, which are provided with the annular member between them and arranged such that they make contact with the outer peripheral faces of the driven rollers, a first holder and a second holder, which are arranged with the annular shaft between them and respectively hold the plurality of first drive rollers and the plurality of second drive rollers while allowing them to rotate, and a first drive unit and a second drive unit that rotationally drive the first holder and the second holder respectively; grooves are formed in the outer peripheral faces of the driven rollers at an angle to the circumferential direction thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Takenaka, Hiroshi Gomi, Shinichiro Kobashi, Taiji Koyama, Masao Sasaki, Hideharu Izumi, Kazuya Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 8757029
    Abstract: Provided is a strain wave gearing having a high stiffness and no limitation imposed on rotation, and a robotic arm including the strain wave gearing. A strain wave gearing includes an electric motor and a strain wave gearing reducer. The strain wave gearing reducer includes: an outer ring member including a first internal gear; a pair of second internal gears each having internal teeth formed along an inner periphery thereof, and the pair of second internal gears differing from the first internal gear in number of teeth; a flexible gear; and a cam member, which distorts the flexible gear in a radial direction to cause the flexible gear to engage with the first internal gear and the pair of second internal gears. The pair of second internal gears is fixed to a pair of fixing plates coupled to each other by a shaft penetrating the cam member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Mahito Negishi
  • Patent number: 8746100
    Abstract: A gearbox assembly includes a pinion gear having a gear stem extending axially through a tubular output stem of an output member with a threaded portion protruding from an output flange of the output member. A pinion nut includes a threaded inner bore threadably engaging the threaded portion of the gear stem to retain the output member to the pinion gear. An outer rim of the pinion nut defines an outer circumference having a tool recess and a deformation spaced circumferentially apart from the tool recess. The tool recess is adapted for receiving a tool to rotate the pinion nut in a first direction relative to the gear stem. The deformation engages an inner circumference of the output flange to prevent the pinion nut from rotating in a second direction relative to the gear stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: McLaren Performance Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis Cook, Jonathan M. Adler
  • Patent number: 8733200
    Abstract: A shifting device of a transmission comprises a selector interlock which can prevent a gear shift shaft from moving into an outer shift gate. The interlock comprises a locking ring which is axially and rotationally movably supported by the shaft. The ring has a stop surface with a tooth and a locking surface and is held by a spring in a rest position. A stop surface of the shaft abuts the tooth when the shaft is moved toward the outer shift gate, before reaching the second inner shift gate. The locking surface of the ring abuts a housing locking surface when the shaft reaches the next shift gate by further displacement of the shaft. The tooth of the ring engages in a recess when the shaft ring rotates to a gear shift position in the next inner shift gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Matthias Retsch
  • Patent number: 8733210
    Abstract: There is provided, in one aspect of the present description, an automatic transmission. In one example, the automatic transmission comprises a transmission case, a valve body which is arranged in the transmission case, a control valve mechanism which controls oil pressures in parts of the automatic transmission and is installed in the valve body, and a solenoid valve which is attached to the valve body and is arranged at a first side of the valve body and in the transmission case. The automatic transmission further comprises an electronic control unit which controls the solenoid valve, is attached to the valve body, and is arranged at a second side of the valve body that is opposite to the first side across the valve body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Keiichiro Sueshige, Akihiro Mitani, Tatsutoshi Mizobe, Shotaro Nagai, Takenori Kawano, Takahiro Kimura
  • Patent number: 8720291
    Abstract: An automatic multi-speed gear system including an input axle, a first arm configured to couple with the input axle allowing for independent rotational movement of the input axle along the input axle axis, a first axle configured to couple with the first arm allowing for independent rotational movement of the first axle along a first axle axis, a second arm configured to couple with the first axle allowing for independent rotational movement of the first axle along the first axle axis, a second axle configured to couple with the second arm allowing for independent rotational movement of the second axle along a second axle axis, and an output axle. The first arm and the second arm are configured to move from a high-speed misalignment position to a low-speed alignment position where the second axle orbits the first axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Inventor: Samir Moufawad
  • Patent number: 8720292
    Abstract: In a transmission system for vehicles in which shift position changing drive means is coaxially connected to a shift drum selectively establishing a plurality of gear trains for respective gear steps capable of selective establishment in response to a turned position and a shift position sensor detects which one of the gear trains is being established, the number of component parts is reduced and assembly performance is enhanced while allowing for automatic gear shifting by use of a shift actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Fujimoto, Kinya Mizuno, Toshimasa Mitsubori, Yoshiaki Tsukada
  • Patent number: 8720289
    Abstract: A loading machine for feeding a receiver includes, but is not limited to, a drum cam that is configured to rotate. The drum cam includes, but is not limited to, a first cam path, and a second cam path. A rammer subassembly is positioned proximate the drum cam. The rammer subassembly includes, but is not limited to, a first member that is configured to engage the first cam path and to move longitudinally with respect to the drum cam upon a rotation of the drum cam, and a second member that is configured to telescopically engage the first member and further configured to engage the second cam path and telescopically move with respect to the first member upon the rotation of the drum cam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: William E. Howard, Robert C. Hinkley, Victor J. Forrester
  • Patent number: 8714048
    Abstract: Various aspects of the disclosure relate to a steering column for a motor vehicle, comprising a bracket which carries an upper jacket unit and a lower jacket unit, wherein the jacket units surround a steering shaft rotatably mounted therein, and wherein the jacket units comprise an inner jacket tube and an outer jacket tube which surrounds the inner jacket tube at least in some sections, said jacket tubes being mounted such that they can be displaced one inside the other in their axial direction by means of a plastic sleeve made of thermoplastic which is located therebetween. Freedom from play is achieved in that the plastic sleeve is inserted into the outer jacket tube with a press fit, and in that the outer jacket tube has at least one opening, in the region of which the plastic sleeve is pressed against the inner jacket tube by deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Presta AG
    Inventor: Rony Schnitzer
  • Patent number: 8707815
    Abstract: A vehicle having a power generating device and a power transfer device. The power transfer device includes a plurality of gears in a housing within which the plurality of gears rotate. The plurality of gears include a first gear and a second gear, the first gear meshing with the second gear. The housing has a lubrication passage. The housing also has a lubrication slot and/or a spray nozzle in fluid communication with the lubrication passage. The lubrication slot and/or spray nozzle direct the fluid flowing therethrough toward where the first gear and second gear mesh.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Danny G. Voth, George W. Detrick
  • Patent number: 8689657
    Abstract: A gearbox transmits rotational movement from a driving member to a driven member. The gearbox includes a pinion gear disposed inside a housing. The gear defines an axial bore and rotates in response to rotation of the driving member. An output member extends through the axial bore and engages therewith such that the output member rotates in response to rotation of the gear. The output member extends to a position outside the housing to rotate the driven member. A clamping nut is threadably coupled to the output member and abuts the gear thereby retaining the output member and the gear together. A bearing is disposed radially between the gear and the housing. The bearing rotatably supports the gear and the output member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: McLaren Performance Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan M Adler, Dennis Cook
  • Patent number: 8689663
    Abstract: An anti-theft bicycle pedal is disclosed. The mounting end of the pedal is shaped with polygonal faces and/or splines to match an opening on the crank so that when the mounting end of the pedal axle is inserted into the matching opening and locked into place, the pedal cannot be removed without an unlocking agent. With an unlocking agent, the pedal is easily removed without tools. The pedal can be reversibly mounted on the crank so that the bicycle cannot be pedaled away, or so that the pedal can be stowed during transport or storage. The pedal cannot rotate in the crank as a result of polygonal faces and/or splines on the mounting end that resist rotation. A physical stop can be used to control the symmetry of insertion into the opening which facilitates reversible mounting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Inventor: Geoffrey Paul Weber