Patents Examined by William C. Joyce
  • Patent number: 11965588
    Abstract: A gearwheel includes a gearwheel body with teeth arranged around its rotational axis. Two adjacent teeth are connected to one another at their tooth roots via a tooth base. The gearwheel includes a supporting structure which has a supporting region at least one or both axial ends of the respective tooth base, which supporting region extends away from the tooth base between the respective adjacent teeth. The supporting regions are connected directly to the adjacent teeth and the tooth base in each case by way of a transition region. The respective transition region surrounds the supporting region in a manner which extends at least partially and contiguously and has a transition geometry in cross section as viewed in the direction of its extent. A geometric variable of the said transition geometry changes steadily, depending on the supporting region, along an axial and/or radial direction with regard to the rotational axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: HIRSCHVOGEL UMFORMTECHNIK GMBH
    Inventors: Roland Ruf, Johannes Grimm, Gordon Triesch
  • Patent number: 11958151
    Abstract: A machine tool includes with a tool head frame, a tool head, and an axis unit fixed to the tool head frame which fixes the tool head in a predefinable position. A movement device for moving the tool head frame includes a machine frame and a multipod drive which has at least three drive elements. The movement device is arranged in the flux of force between the machine frame and the machine tool frame, and has at least two supporting elements which can be brought into a locked state. The multipod drive is mechanically overdetermined by the supporting elements and the drive elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: PICUM MT GMBH
    Inventor: Dominik Brouwer
  • Patent number: 11953092
    Abstract: A bushing assembly is configured for a vehicle transmission shift shaft, the shift shaft having a first diameter, a shift lever fixedly mounted to an end thereof, and a step defining a second diameter smaller than the first diameter along a length thereof. The bushing assembly includes a seal, a spacer, such as a spacer sleeve, and a bushing. The seal is positioned on the shaft abutting the shift lever, the spacer is positioned on the shaft abutting the seal, and the bushing is positioned over the spacer. A kit for replacement of an OE bushing and a method to replace a bushing are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Sonnax Transmission Company
    Inventor: Dylan Sebastian LaLone
  • Patent number: 11938627
    Abstract: A robot joint, including: a housing; an output shaft, at least partially housed inside the housing and provided with a shaft portion and a flange portion at a first end of the shaft portion; a first bearing portion, housed in the housing and supporting a first position of the flange portion of the output shaft; a second bearing portion, housed in the housing and supporting a second position of the output shaft in an axial direction; and a motor, housed in the housing, where the second bearing portion is arranged between the motor and the first bearing portion along the axial direction of the output shaft. Further provided is a robot. By effectively supporting the output shaft at multiple points, the output shaft is enabled to more effectively and stably bear the moment or bending moment of a load, and the robot joint structure is enabled to be compact and lighter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Yong Yang, Sheng Zhang, Chao Jiang
  • Patent number: 11933388
    Abstract: A powershift transmission has a split group with a plurality of powershift stages and an input shaft that can be rotatably driven by a drive shaft of a motorized drive. The input shaft transmits in a stepped-up manner to an output shaft of the split group a rotational movement corresponding to a selected powershiftable stage transmission. A synchromesh transmission group has at least four gear stages and can be rotatably driven by the output shaft of the split group via an intermediate group located therebetween, and via the output shaft of the synchromesh transmission group an axle transmission of the motor vehicle can be rotatably driven. The intermediate group has first and second switching elements each having an output shaft that can be coupled by means of a switchable clutch to an idler. First and second output gears are arranged on the output shaft of the synchromesh transmission group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Michael Haas, Martin Dankesreiter, Thomas Oberbuchner, Thomas Pauli, Stefan Igl
  • Patent number: 11926050
    Abstract: A robot arm includes a long cylindrical arm body and mounting interface portions fixed at both sides of the arm body and that are used to mount the robot arm to another member. At least sections of outer surfaces of the arm body and the mounting interface portions are formed of a resin. A first part that has one of the mounting interface portions and a section of the arm body and a second part that has the other one of the mounting interface portions and a section of the arm body are joined to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Fanuc Corporation
    Inventors: Kazutaka Nakayama, Kenichirou Abe, Masahiro Morioka
  • Patent number: 11913545
    Abstract: A compliant shifting mechanism for a power tool includes a selector, a first shift plate rotatable in response to rotation of the selector, a second shift plate rotatable in response to rotation of the first shift plate, a shift member moveable in response to rotation of the second shift plate to shift between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation, a first torsion spring coupled to the first shift plate, and a second torsion spring coupled to the second shift plate. In response to rotation of the selector in a first direction, the first torsion spring may bias the first shift plate in the first direction for shifting compliance in the first direction. In response to rotation of the selector in an opposite second direction, the second torsion spring may bias the second shift plate in the second direction for shifting compliance in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Patrick Kelleher, Louis Marvin Vasiliades, Matthew Ronald Miller
  • Patent number: 11913524
    Abstract: Provided is a toroidal continuously variable transmission that can create a jet of oil resistant to the influence of wind generated by rotation of a power roller, thereby feeding a sufficient amount of oil to the power roller to cool the power roller with the oil; and a drive mechanism-integrated electricity generation apparatus for an aircraft, the electricity generation apparatus including the toroidal continuously variable transmission. The toroidal continuously variable transmission includes a discharge structure including an outlet that discharges an oil. The discharge structure includes first and second oil passages connected with each other inside the discharge structure, and arranged such that the oil flowing through the first oil passage and the second oil passage collide with each other in the vicinity of the outlet and that a jet of oil discharged from the outlet forms a flattened shape extending along a rotational direction of the power roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Noguchi, Yuji Shinoda, Hideyuki Imai
  • Patent number: 11906026
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a frictional wave reducer mainly used for industrial robot joints and having an operating principle modified from that of a conventional strain wave gearing, which includes a wave generator having a conic pressurizing face on the outermost side, a toothless flex spline having a conic friction tube in which the wave generator is accommodated with the conic pressurizing face inscribed in the conic friction tube, and a toothless circular spline accommodating the toothless flex spline and having an internal conic friction face in which the conic friction tube is inscribed at a plurality of axially symmetrical points to form an internal friction wheel with the toothless flex spline. Accordingly, disadvantages of the conventional strain wave gearing are overcome to provide a reducer having high productivity and high rotation accuracy without generation of vibration and noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: C AND M ROBOTICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Sang Wan Joo
  • Patent number: 11890753
    Abstract: A cooling medium flow path structure is for use at a joint of a robot. The joint of the robot includes an N-th link and an N+1-th link. A tubular projection extends from a first wall constituting the N-th link, and a motor is located on the first wall. The cooling medium flow path structure is annularly or tubularly shaped such that an inner peripheral surface of the cooling medium flow path structure is located outside an outer peripheral surface of the motor. The cooling medium flow path structure includes an internal cooling medium flow path through which a cooling medium flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki Nodo, Ryoma Koretake
  • Patent number: 11884158
    Abstract: A drive unit and a drive arrangement having the drive unit are provided. The drive unit includes a first electric machine and a second electric machine and an output shaft. A rotor of the second electric machine is connected to the output shaft for conjoint rotation and the drive unit has a separating clutch by which a rotor of the first electric machine is connected to the output shaft for torque transmission. The drive unit furthermore has a first flow system for implementing a flow of a first liquid for at least partial cooling of at least one electric machine and a second flow system for implementing a flow of a second liquid, the first flow system and the second flow system being arranged such that heat from the first liquid in the first flow system is transferred to the second liquid in the second flow system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Andreas Trinkenschuh, Steffen Lehmann, Carsten Mayer, Marco Grethel
  • Patent number: 11879526
    Abstract: A transmission with alternating rotary disks contains a plurality of first rotary disk assemblies, a plurality of second rotary disk assemblies, a drive shaft, and a gearbox shell. The plurality of first rotary disk assemblies is rotatably connected to the plurality of second rotary disk assemblies, where the plurality of first rotary disk assemblies and the second plurality of disk assemblies are arranged in a specified pattern. The first rotary disk assembly contains a first rotary element that rotates in one direction when the drive shaft is subjected to torque. The second rotary disk assembly contains a second rotary element that rotates in the opposite direction, relative to the first rotary element rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Inventor: Terry Gordon Wood
  • Patent number: 11873037
    Abstract: Belt driven rotary assist apparatus for recirculating ball steering gears are disclosed. An example motor vehicle steering system includes an input shaft to couple to a steering shaft of a motor vehicle, a worm gear, a first end of the worm gear coupled to the input shaft, a second end of the worm gear fixed to a helical spur gear, a ball nut surrounding a portion of the worm gear, the ball nut including ball bearings and ball guides, a first pulley wheel fixed to a pinion, the first pulley wheel engaged with a belt, the pinion engaged with the helical spur gear, a motor fixed to a second pulley wheel, the second pulley wheel engaged with the belt, the motor to rotate the worm gear to translate the ball nut, and a sector gear engaged with the ball nut, the sector gear to rotate as the ball nut translates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph Washnock
  • Patent number: 11873883
    Abstract: Gear for a flapping wing aircraft, having a gearwheel support, on which a gearwheel is mounted so as to be rotatably movable about a gearwheel axis, which gearwheel is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a crankshaft, which has a central section extending coaxially to the gearwheel axis and end regions adjoining the central section on both sides, the end regions each delimiting an angle between 0 degrees and 90 degrees with the central section and engage in a guide slot of an associated joint part which is mounted pivotably movable about a pivot axis on a joint support which is connected to the gearwheel support and which is mounted pivotably movable about a respective support axis on the gearwheel support wherein the joint supports are connected to a coupling strut and wherein an actuator, which is motion-coupled to the coupling strut, is arranged on the gearwheel support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Festo SE & Co. KG
    Inventor: Rainer Mugrauer
  • Patent number: 11865704
    Abstract: A joint structure includes a locking mechanism for switching a free state in which a second element is independent from a first element and capable of moving, and a locked state in which the second element is fixed to the first element. The locking mechanism includes a first member joined to the first element, a second member joined to the second element, and a flexible wire-shaped member in which one end thereof is attached to the second member and another end thereof is led out to the outside of the joint structure via a through hole provided in the first member. The joint structure enters the locked state by the wire-shaped member being pulled to bring the second member into contact with the first member, and enters the free state by the wire-shaped member being fed to separate the second member from the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: OMRON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Ijiri, Kazutoshi Tanaka, Felix Von Drigalski, Masashi Hamaya, Yoshiya Shibata, Chisato Nakashima
  • Patent number: 11865710
    Abstract: A vertical articulated robot includes a plurality of joint axis portions configured to rotationally drive a plurality of arms. The plurality of joint axis portions include a narrow joint axis portion. In the narrow joint axis portion, at least one of at least a portion of a brake or an oil seal is arranged inside a recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshifumi Manome
  • Patent number: 11858133
    Abstract: In a robot system provided with an articulated arm, information showing whether or not an operator holds one or more of a plurality of arms of the articulated arm. An operator's holding state of the arms are determined based on the detected information. Based on results of the determination, the rotation of motors provided at axes (joints) is controlled for selectively controlling a constrained state which constrains the rotation of the axes and release of the constrained state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Atsuko Yoshimi
  • Patent number: 11858126
    Abstract: A robot joint including a first part and a second part arranged to have a relative movement in between, and a joint gap spacing the first part and the second part from each other, wherein the robot joint includes an inflatable seal accommodated in the joint gap to provide a fluid-tight sealing of the joint. The disclosure also relates to a robot including the robot joint, a system including the robot and a method for sealing a joint gap of a robot joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventors: Jiangwei Huang, Arne Trangärd, Shanghua Li
  • Patent number: 11850742
    Abstract: A robot may include a first arm assembly including a first upper arm rotatable about a first axis; a first forearm adapted for rotation relative to the first upper arm about a second axis; a first wrist member adapted for rotation relative to the first forearm about a third axis; and a first end effector coupled to the first wrist member, wherein the first end effector is moveable along a first path. A second arm assembly may include a second upper arm rotatable about the first axis; a second forearm adapted for rotation relative to the second upper arm about a fourth axis; a second wrist member adapted for rotation relative to the second forearm; and a second end effector coupled to the second wrist member, wherein the second end effector is moveable along a second path that does not overlap the first path. Other apparatus and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Karuppasamy Muthukamatchi, Jeffrey C. Hudgens, Damon K. Cox
  • Patent number: 11850737
    Abstract: A joint structure for a robot according to the present disclosure includes a first link and a second link rotatably coupled to each other via a joint part. The joint part has a first rotary member disposed so that an axial center thereof is oriented in a first direction and connected to the first link, a pair of second rotary members disposed so that an axial center thereof is oriented in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and so as to engage with the first rotary member, and a shaft member formed in a T-shape and having a first shank and a pair of second shanks. The joint structure further includes a pressing member connected to the second shank and configured to press the second rotary member inwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masayuki Kamon, So Yukizaki, Junichi Karasuyama