Patents Examined by William C. Joyce
  • Patent number: 11168771
    Abstract: To provide a drive force transmission device that is capable of transmitting elastic energy of an elastic member to an output shaft with a simpler structure than the structure of the related art. A drive force transmission device includes a first shaft (input shaft), and a second shaft (a crankshaft, a crank disc, an intermediate shaft). A force is applied to the second shaft in a predetermined direction of rotation and in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation. The force varies in strength in association with the rotation. The first shaft is connected to the second shaft, and transmission of a drive force of the first shaft to the second shaft is enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA CHUO KENKYUSHO
    Inventors: Eiji Tsuchiya, Yoshihiro Mizuno, Norio Yonezawa
  • Patent number: 11167431
    Abstract: A mounting bracket includes: a first flange mounted on a wrist leading end surface of a robot allowing a linear object to penetrate therethrough along a rotation center axis of a wrist leading end, the first flange having a first through-hole through which the linear object passes; a second flange that is spaced apart from the first flange in a direction of the rotation center axis and on which an end effector is mounted; and a cylindrical coupling part coupling an outer edge of the first flange and an outer edge of the second flange, the coupling part is provided with opening parts through which the linear object penetrated through the first through-hole passes, and at least at positions of the opening parts, the outer edge of the second flange is disposed in a position closer to the rotation center axis than the outer edge of the first flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryouta Shimizu
  • Patent number: 11155155
    Abstract: A power transmission system of a vehicle may include: a first input shaft selectively connectable to an engine output through a first clutch; a second input shaft selectively connectable to the engine output through a second clutch; a first intermediate shaft; a second intermediate shaft; an output shaft disposed in parallel with and apart from the first intermediate shaft and transmitting power from the first intermediate shaft and the second intermediate shaft to a final reduction gear of a differential apparatus; a motor/generator fixedly connected to any one of the first input shaft and the first intermediate shaft; a continuously variable shifting device operably connecting the first input shaft to the first intermediate shaft; and a plurality of shifting gear sets operably connecting the second input shaft, the first and the second intermediate shaft and the output shaft with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Wonmin Cho, Seongwook Ji, Hyun Sik Kwon, Seong Wook Hwang, Ki Tae Kim
  • Patent number: 11149822
    Abstract: A transmission selectively coupled to an engine crankshaft of an internal combustion engine arranged on a vehicle includes an input shaft, a mainshaft, an output shaft, a first countershaft and a second countershaft. A first gear set includes a first mainshaft gear arranged on the mainshaft, a first countershaft gear arranged on the first countershaft and a first countershaft gear arranged on the second countershaft. A second gear set includes a second mainshaft gear arranged on the mainshaft, a first countershaft gear arranged on the second countershaft and a second countershaft gear arranged on the second countershaft. The gears of the first gear set all have a first helix angle. The gears of the second gear set all have a second helix angle. The first and second helix angles are selected to provide gear constant leading whereby thrust forces directed onto the first and second countershafts are balanced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Christian Chimner, Thomas J. Stoltz
  • Patent number: 11137048
    Abstract: A transmission mechanism includes a first gear coaxially fixed to a rotational shaft having a hollow shape, a second gear, and a third gear. The second and third gears are rotatably and coaxially disposed on an outer periphery of the rotational shaft such that the second and third gears are opposed to each other. A gear select clutch is disposed between the second and third gears, and configured to select one of a state in which the second and first gears are coupled and the third and first gears are decoupled, and a state in which the third and first gears are coupled and the second and first gears are decoupled. A clutch operation unit is configured to couple an operation shaft disposed in a hollow part of the rotational shaft to operate the gear select clutch by advancing and retreating the operation shaft in an axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Univance Corporation
    Inventors: Kotaro Hirano, Yasuyuki Nishiyama, Hironobu Aoki
  • Patent number: 11111997
    Abstract: A compound harmonic actuator includes a circular gear, a flex gear including permanent magnets and a coil assembly disposed and configured to generate a magnetic field with which the permanent magnets interact to deform the flex gear. The coil assembly is controllable such that the deformation of the flex gear is such that the flex gear engages with the circular gear resulting in flex gear rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naison E. Mastrocola
  • Patent number: 11110604
    Abstract: The present invention relates to: a posture control device for controlling the posture of a robot by means of a thruster; and a robot having the same. The posture control device, according to the present invention, comprises: a thruster for generating a propulsive force for supporting or hauling the load of a robot part; and a rotation mechanism installed between the robot part and the thruster so as to enable the robot part to rotate with respect to thruster or the thruster to rotate with respect to the robot part, wherein the rotation mechanism has at least two axes of rotation, wherein the axes of rotation respectively form a right angle. In addition, the robot, according to the present invention, comprises parts having the posture control device provided thereto, and may comprise: a first part and a second part having the posture control device provided thereto; and a bendable or extendable third part for connecting the first part and the second part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Inventor: Seung Whan Jung
  • Patent number: 11092223
    Abstract: An externally toothed gear of a dual-type strain wave gearing is provided with first and second external teeth having different teeth numbers, and a gap formed between these teeth as a cutter clearance area for tooth cutters. The maximum width L1 of the gap is 0.1 to 0.3 times the width L of the externally toothed gear. The depth from the tooth top land of the first external teeth to the deepest part of the gap is 0.9 to 1.3 times the depth of the first external teeth, and the depth from the tooth top land of the second external teeth to the deepest part of the gap is 0.9 to 1.3 times the depth of the second external teeth. The tooth bottom fatigue strength of the externally toothed gear provided with differing numbers of first and second external teeth is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: HARMONIC DRIVE SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Jun Handa, Yoshihide Kiyosawa, Noboru Takizawa, Xin Yue Zhang
  • Patent number: 11092213
    Abstract: A gear mechanism including: a pair of housings that are combined in a positioned state by mating a cylindrical inner surface and a cylindrical outer surface centered on a first axis with each other; two first gears that are attached to one housing so as to be rotatable about the first axis and a second axis parallel to the first axis; and two second gears that are rotatably attached to the other housing, and that are respectively engaged with the two first gears in a state in which the pair of housings are combined. The first gear that is attached so as to be rotatable about the second axis and the second gear that is engaged with the first gear are arranged at positions where an inter-axial distance therebetween is changed by means of a relative rotation of the housings about the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Genki Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 11092224
    Abstract: A method of developing a flex spline and circular gear tooth profile for a harmonic actuator is provided. The method includes defining circular gear and flex spline centroids based on gear ratio calculations, finding mid-points between the centroids of the circular gear and the centroids of the flex spline and transforming the mid-points into a mapping of the tooth profile for respective teeth of the circular gear and the flex spline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventor: Derick S. Balsiger
  • Patent number: 11090803
    Abstract: A horizontal articulated robot includes a support unit, a movable unit provided in the support unit, from which an end effector is detachable, and a control unit that controls the movable unit, wherein the control unit is provided in the support unit and the end effector is connected to the control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Inventor: Ryosuke Teranaka
  • Patent number: 11079016
    Abstract: A six-gear automatic transmission device is provided for automobiles with a brushless control-by-wire centrifugal ball arm engagement. One brushless control-by-wire centrifugal ball arm engagement device is provided between each gear input gear and each gear driving gear; and by controlling the engagement and disengagement of the brushless control-by-wire centrifugal ball arm engagement device, the shifting control of the six-gear automatic transmission for automobile with a brushless control-by-wire centrifugal ball arm engagement device is performed. The technology provides advantages including compact structure, being capable of dynamic gear-shift, no mechanical or hydraulic gear-shift components and low operational energy consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: SHANDONG UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Jinyu Qu, Chuanbo Ren, Zhuowen Zhao, Jiashan Mi, Nana Lv, Zhengbin Guo, Pan Zhang, Jihua Wang
  • Patent number: 11077549
    Abstract: A robot includes a robot main body including a base and a robot arm, a drive unit that drives the robot arm, and a wiring electrically connected to the drive unit, in which the robot arm includes a casing including a main body and a cover detachably connected to the main body, the drive unit includes a first pulley, a second pulley having a hollow hole, a belt connecting the first pulley and the second pulley, and a motor that generates a driving force for driving the robot arm and rotates the first pulley or the second pulley by the driving force, the wiring includes an insertion area inserted through the hollow hole of the second pulley and an intersection area intersecting with the belt as seen in a direction along a rotation axis of the second pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Goto, Takuya Owa
  • Patent number: 11078997
    Abstract: A motor driven electromechanical actuator assembly includes a motor assembly having a motor shaft and a gear assembly. The gear assembly includes a plurality of gears with a belt drive that couples the motor assembly to the actuator output shaft. The actuator assembly also includes a position sensor system configured to determine a rotational characteristic of the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: NATIONAL MACHINE GROUP
    Inventors: Raymond Alvero Forrester, Jr., Robert William Hyde
  • Patent number: 11072081
    Abstract: Robot sealing structure includes a shaft end face of a shaft of a reducer, an attachment surface of an arm member, bolts for fixing the shaft and the arm member to each other, and a seal member arranged between the shaft end face and the attachment surface, a hollow hole including a center axis line of the shaft is provided in the shaft end face, an input gear housing portion for housing an input gear, and a gear housing portion for housing a gear driven by the input gear are provided in a periphery of the hollow hole, the periphery of the hollow hole is provided with a protruding portion formed between the input gear housing portion and the gear housing portion, and a hole for temporarily attaching or fixing the seal member in the protruding portion is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kouhei Hanatani
  • Patent number: 11059365
    Abstract: A drive device for a hybrid-driven motor vehicle includes a primary drive, a secondary drive, and a variable speed gearbox. The primary and secondary drives are configured to drive the gearbox separately or jointly. The gearbox includes a first input shaft connectable to the primary drive, a second input shaft connectable to the secondary drive, an output shaft, and switching elements. In a first state of the gearbox, a rotational movement of a first fixed toothed wheel of a first intermediate shaft is synchronously coupled with a rotational movement of the output shaft by a first switching element. In a second state, a rotational movement of a first idler toothed wheel on the first input shaft is synchronously coupled with a rotational movement of a second idler toothed wheel on the first input shaft by a second switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Michael Hombauer
  • Patent number: 11060594
    Abstract: A driving force distribution apparatus includes an orthogonal gear pair constituted by a pinion gear shaft and a ring gear member, a casing that houses the orthogonal gear pair, an intermediate rotational member coaxially rotatable relative to the ring gear member, a clutch member configured to couple the ring gear member and the intermediate rotational member to each other, and first and second driving force adjustment mechanisms configured to adjust a driving force to be transmitted from the intermediate rotational member to first and second output rotational members. The ring gear member has a ring gear portion and a tubular portion. At two positions between which the ring gear portion is interposed in an axial direction, the tubular portion) is rotatably supported by a pair of bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Noriyuki Fujii
  • Patent number: 11051896
    Abstract: For bending a manipulator without excessive increase in a tensile force acting on a driving power transmitting member, a manipulator is provided with: an end effector; a driving unit; a guide member to which the end effector is attached at one end thereof and the driving unit is attached at the other end thereof; and a driving power transmitting members that transmit the driving power from the driving unit to the end effector, wherein the guide member includes a guide tube that has lumens, and an outer sheath that has a greater rigidity than the guide tube and that covers an outer circumference of the guide tube, and one end of the outer sheath is movable in a longitudinal direction with respect to the end effector or the driving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryoji Hyodo, Kosuke Kishi
  • Patent number: 11041542
    Abstract: A power transmission mechanism equipped with a first shaft including a first double helical gear, a second shaft including a second double helical gear and a third double helical gear arranged in alignment with the second double helical gear in an axial direction, and a third shaft including a fourth double helical gear that meshes with the third double helical gear. The second double helical gear includes a pair of right and left tooth portions whose torsional directions are reverse to each other such that the left tooth portion and the right tooth portion are offset in phase from each other, and the third double helical gear includes a pair of right and left tooth portions whose torsional directions are reverse to each other such that the left tooth portion and the right tooth portion are identical in phase to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuo Hamajima, Tadashi Takagaki
  • Patent number: 11027421
    Abstract: A robot is provided which has: a housing including a plurality of joints; a reduction gear placed in the joint, the reduction gear including a lubrication chamber where a gear mechanism for slowing down and transmitting an output of a motor and lubricant is sealed; and an air chamber placed inside the housing, the air chamber communicating with the lubrication chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Naoyuki Ohtsubo, Tsuyoshi Ito, Yuji Ishimaru