Patents by Inventor Christopher W. Henson

Christopher W. Henson 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: 7670059
    Abstract: A corner module for an automotive vehicle includes a suspension upright, a wheel end, and a CV joint. The wheel end has a housing that is secured to the suspension upright and a hub that is provided with a flange to which a road wheel is attached and also spindle that projects from the flange into the housing. In addition, the wheel end has a tapered roller bearing located between the housing and the hub spindle. The CV joint drives the hub through a coupler ring or an inboard bearing cone that fits around and is engaged with the hub spindle, all through mating splines. The CV joint may have a stub shaft that projects from the bell through the hub spindle to clamp the CV joint and hub spindle together. Torque is transferred to the hub spindle at a large diameter through the bell of the CV joint. When present, the stub shaft serves merely to hold the CV joint and hub spindle together and thus may exist at a small diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: The Timken Company
    Inventors: Mircea Gradu, John D. Dougherty, Christopher W. Henson
  • Publication number: 20080252030
    Abstract: A corner module for an automotive vehicle includes a suspension upright, a wheel end, and a CV joint. The wheel end has a housing that is secured to the suspension upright and a hub that is provided with a flange to which a road wheel is attached and also spindle that projects from the flange into the housing. In addition, the wheel end has a tapered roller bearing located between the housing and the hub spindle. The CV joint drives the hub through a coupler ring or an inboard bearing cone that fits around and is engaged with the hub spindle, all through mating splines. The CV joint may have a stub shaft that projects from the bell through the hub spindle to clamp the CV joint and hub spindle together. Torque is transferred to the hub spindle at a large diameter through the bell of the CV joint. When present, the stub shaft serves merely to hold the CV joint and hub spindle together and thus may exist at a small diameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventors: Mircea Gradu, John D. Dougherty, Christopher W. Henson