Patents by Inventor Christopher D. Pump

Christopher D. Pump 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).

  • Publication number: 20230369934
    Abstract: An electric drive unit that includes an electric motor having a rotor with a rotor shaft and a heat exchanger that is received in the rotor shaft. The heat exchanger has a plurality of heat exchanger plates, each of which having a hub, a rim member, and disc spring portion that interconnects the hub and the rib member. Each disk spring portion defines a plurality of coolant apertures. The heat exchanger plates are press-fit to the rotor shaft such that each disc spring portion is deflected from a pre-installation state, and each rim member is engaged to an interior surface of the rotor shaft while being spaced apart from adjacent rim members along a rotational axis of the rotor. A first coolant passage is disposed through the hubs of the plates. The coolant apertures in the heat exchanger plates cooperate to form a plurality of second coolant passages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. RONNING, Paul J. VALENTE, Christopher D. PUMP, Frederick E. ZINK, Bangalore Lingaraj YASHWANTH
  • Patent number: 11750060
    Abstract: An electric drive unit that includes an electric motor having a rotor with a rotor shaft and a heat exchanger that is received in the rotor shaft. The heat exchanger has a plurality of heat exchanger plates, each of which having a hub, a rim member, and disc spring portion that interconnects the hub and the rib member. Each disk spring portion defines a plurality of coolant apertures. The heat exchanger plates are press-fit to the rotor shaft such that each disc spring portion is deflected from a pre-installation state, and each rim member is engaged to an interior surface of the rotor shaft while being spaced apart from adjacent rim members along a rotational axis of the rotor. A first coolant passage is disposed through the hubs of the plates. The coolant apertures in the heat exchanger plates cooperate to form a plurality of second coolant passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Ronning, Paul J. Valente, Christopher D. Pump, Frederick E. Zink, Bangalore Lingaraj Yashwanth
  • Publication number: 20230261541
    Abstract: An electric drive unit that includes an electric motor having a rotor with a rotor shaft and a heat exchanger that is received in the rotor shaft. The heat exchanger has a plurality of heat exchanger plates, each of which having a hub, a rim member, and disc spring portion that interconnects the hub and the rib member. Each disk spring portion defines a plurality of coolant apertures. The heat exchanger plates are press-fit to the rotor shaft such that each disc spring portion is deflected from a pre-installation state, and each rim member is engaged to an interior surface of the rotor shaft while being spaced apart from adjacent rim members along a rotational axis of the rotor. A first coolant passage is disposed through the hubs of the plates. The coolant apertures in the heat exchanger plates cooperate to form a plurality of second coolant passages.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Applicants: AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING, INC., AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING, INC.
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. RONNING, Paul J. VALENTE, Christopher D. PUMP, Frederick E. ZINK, Bangalore Lingaraj YASHWANTH
  • Patent number: 10119578
    Abstract: A vehicle driveline having a torque transfer device and a fluid circuit for operating the torque transfer device. The fluid circuit has a motor, a pump driven by the motor, an actuator, and a pair of valves. The valves are arranged in the fluid circuit to control fluid circulation within the fluid circuit and can be operated such that fluid pressure in the actuator can be maintained (i.e., to maintain engagement of the torque transfer device) without operating the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher D. Pump, Charles G. Stuart, John C. Hibbler, Chad Umscheid
  • Patent number: 9902263
    Abstract: A clutched device can include a differential and first and second conduits. The differential can transmit differential power to first and second outputs. Clutch plates can rotate through a clutch cavity and transmit power between the second output and a third output. An outer carrier and an inner carrier can be coupled for rotation with the second and third outputs, respectively. The first conduit can be open to a first peripheral region of the clutch cavity and fluidly couples the first region to a cavity separate from the clutch cavity. The second conduit can be open to a second peripheral region that is circumferentially spaced apart from the first region. The second conduit can fluidly couple the second region to a central region of the clutch cavity. Rotation of the outer carrier in opposite rotational directions slings lubricant to the first and second conduits, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING, INC.
    Inventor: Christopher D. Pump
  • Patent number: 9776508
    Abstract: An all-wheel drive vehicle driveline that includes a housing assembly with a housing structure and a cover. In one form, components of the driveline can be assembled to the housing structure and cover in such a way that an intermediate shaft, which is assembled to the cover, and an input shaft, which can be rotatably mounted to the housing structure, can be slidably engaged to one another. In another form, the cover defines a reservoir that is configured to feed fluid to a pump that is mounted to the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Mario Amerla, Christopher D. Pump, Paul Reichert
  • Publication number: 20170144542
    Abstract: A clutched device can include a differential and first and second conduits. The differential can transmit differential power to first and second outputs. Clutch plates can rotate through a clutch cavity and transmit power between the second output and a third output. An outer carrier and an inner carrier can be coupled for rotation with the second and third outputs, respectively. The first conduit can be open to a first peripheral region of the clutch cavity and fluidly couples the first region to a cavity separate from the clutch cavity. The second conduit can be open to a second peripheral region that is circumferentially spaced apart from the first region. The second conduit can fluidly couple the second region to a central region of the clutch cavity. Rotation of the outer carrier in opposite rotational directions slings lubricant to the first and second conduits, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventor: Christopher D. Pump
  • Publication number: 20160333945
    Abstract: A vehicle driveline having a torque transfer device and a fluid circuit for operating the torque transfer device. The fluid circuit has a motor, a pump driven by the motor, an actuator, and a pair of valves. The valves are arranged in the fluid circuit to control fluid circulation within the fluid circuit and can be operated such that fluid pressure in the actuator can be maintained (i.e., to maintain engagement of the torque transfer device) without operating the pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventors: Christopher D. Pump, Charles G. Stuart, John C. Hibbler, Chad Umscheid
  • Patent number: 9353846
    Abstract: A power transmitting component can include a differential, a first sump, a clutch assembly, a reservoir, a pump, and a fluid circuit. The pump can operate in a first mode to pump fluid from a reservoir to the piston chamber to move the piston to a second position. The pump can operate in a second mode to pump fluid from the piston chamber to the reservoir to move the piston to a first position. The fluid circuit can fluidly couple the reservoir to the first sump when the piston is in the first position and the pump is operated in the second mode. The pump can be configured to pump fluid from the first sump through the fluid circuit when the fluid circuit fluidly couples the first sump and the reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher D. Pump
  • Patent number: 9249873
    Abstract: The present teachings provide for a power transmitting component including a housing, a clutch, a vent, and a dam. The vent can fluidly couple a first and second cavity. The dam can include a door member. Rotation of the outer carrier through a fluid in the second cavity can sling a portion of the fluid toward the vent to cause the portion of the fluid to be transferred from the second cavity, through the vent, and to the first cavity. When the piston is in a first position, the door member can be in a closed position to limit fluid flow from the first cavity to the second cavity. When the piston is in a second position, the door member can be in an open position to allow fluid to flow from the first cavity to the second cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher D. Pump, Charles G. Stuart, John C. Hibbler, James P. Downs, Shawn S. Proctor, Robert J. DeGowske, Adrian M. Lenczewski, Firoz Ali S. Jafri, Paul J. Valente, Brian McCormick, Thomas C. Bowen, Paul W. Kornosky
  • Publication number: 20150298544
    Abstract: An all-wheel drive vehicle driveline that includes a housing assembly with a housing structure and a cover. In one form, components of the driveline can be assembled to the housing structure and cover in such a way that an intermediate shaft, which is assembled to the cover, and an input shaft, which can be rotatably mounted to the housing structure, can be slidably engaged to one another. In another form, the cover defines a reservoir that is configured to feed fluid to a pump that is mounted to the cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventors: Mario Amerla, Christopher D. Pump, Paul Reichert
  • Publication number: 20150057124
    Abstract: A power transmitting component can include a differential, a first sump, a clutch assembly, a reservoir, a pump, and a fluid circuit. The pump can operate in a first mode to pump fluid from a reservoir to the piston chamber to move the piston to a second position. The pump can operate in a second mode to pump fluid from the piston chamber to the reservoir to move the piston to a first position. The fluid circuit can fluidly couple the reservoir to the first sump when the piston is in the first position and the pump is operated in the second mode. The pump can be configured to pump fluid from the first sump through the fluid circuit when the fluid circuit fluidly couples the first sump and the reservoir.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventor: Christopher D. Pump
  • Publication number: 20150057125
    Abstract: The present teachings provide for a power transmitting component including a housing, a clutch, a vent, and a dam. The vent can fluidly couple a first and second cavity. The dam can include a door member. Rotation of the outer carrier through a fluid in the second cavity can sling a portion of the fluid toward the vent to cause the portion of the fluid to be transferred from the second cavity, through the vent, and to the first cavity. When the piston is in a first position, the door member can be in a closed position to limit fluid flow from the first cavity to the second cavity. When the piston is in a second position, the door member can be in an open position to allow fluid to flow from the first cavity to the second cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Christopher D. Pump, Charles G. Stuart, John C. Hibbler, James P. Downs, Shawn S. Proctor, Robert J. DeGowske, Adrian M. Lenczewski, Firoz Ali S. Jafri, Paul J. Valente, Brian McCormick, Thomas C. Bowen, Paul W. Kornosky