Patents by Inventor Chad R. Brizendine

Chad R. Brizendine has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11701956
    Abstract: A drive system for an electric vehicle includes a housing having a first housing portion, a second housing portion connected to the first housing portion, and a third housing portion connected to the second housing portion. The third housing portion includes a torque arm connectable to a vehicle chassis. A hypoid gear set is mounted in the first housing portion, and an electric motor is mounted in the third housing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Chad R. Brizendine, Bhapinder Puri, Hai Xu, Dan E. Revers, William Matzen
  • Publication number: 20220105790
    Abstract: A drive system for an electric vehicle includes a housing having a first housing portion, a second housing portion connected to the first housing portion, and a third housing portion connected to the second housing portion. The third housing portion includes a torque arm connectable to a vehicle chassis. A hypoid gear set is mounted in the first housing portion, and an electric motor is mounted in the third housing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Chad R. Brizendine, Bhapinder Puri, Hai Xu, Dan E. Revers, William Matzen
  • Patent number: 11231102
    Abstract: A motor vehicle drive-axle includes a drive-axle housing defining a gear-set cavity and a shaft bore having first and second bearing pockets and an oil cavity arranged between the first and second bearing pockets. The housing also defines a supply channel and a return passage configured to respectively supply oil from the gear-set cavity to the oil cavity and return oil from the oil cavity to the gear-set cavity. The housing also includes an input shaft extending through the shaft bore into the differential gear-set cavity. The housing additionally includes first and second bearings arranged within respective first and second bearing pockets for supporting the input shaft. The housing additionally includes a lubrication regulating insert arranged inside the oil cavity. The insert defines first and second lubrication channels configured to direct oil from the supply passage to respective first and second bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Chad R. Brizendine, David S. Schulz
  • Publication number: 20210207705
    Abstract: A system for retaining and redistributing a fluid includes a capture member including a recessed surface defining a reservoir and a sealing surface extending around a perimeter of the recessed surface, the sealing surface including a plurality of fastener openings, a sealing member adjacent to and coupled with the sealing surface of the capture member, the sealing member encircling the plurality of fastener openings, a cover member coupled to the capture member, and at least one fastener coupling the cover member to the capture member. The cover member and the capture member compressively secure the sealing member therebetween to retain the fluid between the cover member and the capture member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Chad R. Brizendine, David S. Schulz, Ronald G. Mattise
  • Publication number: 20190248179
    Abstract: An axle assembly includes an axle housing having a passage. An axle extends through the passage. A bearing supports the axle in the passage. An adaptive bearing preload adjustment system is mounted adjacent the bearing. The adaptive bearing preload adjustment system is selectively activatable to adaptively adjust a preload force on the bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Chad R. Brizendine, Rodney J. Campbell
  • Patent number: 10377177
    Abstract: An axle assembly includes an axle housing having a passage. An axle extends through the passage. A bearing supports the axle in the passage. An adaptive bearing preload adjustment system is mounted adjacent the bearing. The adaptive bearing preload adjustment system is selectively activatable to adaptively adjust a preload force on the bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Chad R. Brizendine, Rodney J. Campbell
  • Publication number: 20190170243
    Abstract: An exemplary device for distributing gear lubricant in a gear assembly housing of a vehicle includes a gear assembly housing having a sealed interior portion defined by a first housing and an second housing, the sealed interior portion containing a lubricant and enclosing a gear assembly having a gear rotatably mounted in the gear assembly housing that rotates through the lubricant and a reservoir housing secured to an upper portion of the first housing, the reservoir housing defining a reservoir fluidly connected to the sealed interior portion of the gear assembly housing and including an orifice fluidly connected to a gear assembly component, the orifice having a predetermined size for allowing the lubricant to flow to the gear assembly component. As the gear rotates, the gear transfers the lubricant to the reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Chad R. Brizendine, David Schulz, Laurie B. Davenport, Mark A. Smakal