Patents by Inventor Gregory J. Hilker
Gregory J. Hilker 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).
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Patent number: 9746069Abstract: An axle assembly that is configured with reduced weight and an internal configuration that is configured to reduce losses through, for example, higher efficiency gearing, low viscosity lubricant and reduced lubricant levels as compared with current production automotive axle assemblies that are configured with a similar overall gear ratio and capacity.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2014Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey L. Gerstenberger, Gregory J. Hilker, William G. Hunt, Eugene A. Rodden, Blair J. Swanson, Gregory E. Woodside, James M. Purington, Libu M. Thamarappallil
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Patent number: 9593756Abstract: A bearing assembly and a related power transmitting component. The bearing assembly includes a first bearing, which is an angular contact bearing, and a second bearing, which is a tapered roller bearing. The first bearing has a first inner bearing race, a first outer bearing race and a plurality of spherical bearing balls disposed between the first inner bearing race and the first outer bearing race. The second bearing assembly has a second inner bearing race, a second outer bearing race and a plurality of tapered bearing rolls disposed between the second inner bearing race and the second outer bearing race. One of the first inner and first outer bearing races is fixedly coupled to one of the second inner and second outer bearing races for axial and rotational movement therewith. The first and second bearings are configured to handle thrust in a common axial direction.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2013Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: Gregory J. Hilker, William G. Hunt, Gregory E. Woodside, Douglas J. Chemelli
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Publication number: 20160033029Abstract: An axle assembly that is configured with reduced weight and an internal configuration that is configured to reduce losses through, for example, higher efficiency gearing, low viscosity lubricant and reduced lubricant levels as compared with current production automotive axle assemblies that are configured with a similar overall gear ratio and capacity.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2014Publication date: February 4, 2016Inventors: Jeffrey L. GERSTENBERGER, Gregory J. HILKER, William G. HUNT, Eugene A. RODDEN, Blair J. SWANSON, Gregory E. WOODSIDE, James M. PURINGTON, Libu M. THAMARAPPALLIL
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Patent number: 9103430Abstract: A power transmitting component that includes a housing, a case, a bearing, a bearing adjuster and a clip. The housing defines a bearing bulkhead and a threaded aperture that are disposed about an axis. The bearing is coupled to the case to support the case for rotation about the axis relative to the housing. The bearing adjuster is threadably engaged to the threaded aperture and abuts the bearing. The bearing adjuster has a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart securing features. The clip has a mount and a set of mating securing features. The clip is received on the bearing bulkhead such that the mount is secured to the bearing bulkhead in a snap-fit manner and the set of mating securing features are engaged to a corresponding set of the securing features.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: George Zalanca, Gregory J. Hilker
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Publication number: 20150038279Abstract: A bearing assembly and a related power transmitting component. The bearing assembly includes a first bearing, which is an angular contact bearing, and a second bearing, which is a tapered roller bearing. The first bearing has a first inner bearing race, a first outer bearing race and a plurality of spherical bearing balls disposed between the first inner bearing race and the first outer bearing race. The second bearing assembly has a second inner bearing race, a second outer bearing race and a plurality of tapered bearing rolls disposed between the second inner bearing race and the second outer bearing race. One of the first inner and first outer bearing races is fixedly coupled to one of the second inner and second outer bearing races for axial and rotational movement therewith. The first and second bearings are configured to handle thrust in a common axial direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2013Publication date: February 5, 2015Applicant: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: Gregory J. Hilker, William G. Hunt, Gregory E. Woodside, Douglas J. Chemelli
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Publication number: 20140260789Abstract: A power transmitting component that includes a housing, a case, a bearing, a bearing adjuster and a clip. The housing defines a bearing bulkhead and a threaded aperture that are disposed about an axis. The bearing is coupled to the case to support the case for rotation about the axis relative to the housing. The bearing adjuster is threadably engaged to the threaded aperture and abuts the bearing. The bearing adjuster has a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart securing features. The clip has a mount and a set of mating securing features. The clip is received on the bearing bulkhead such that the mount is secured to the bearing bulkhead in a snap-fit manner and the set of mating securing features are engaged to a corresponding set of the securing features.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2013Publication date: September 18, 2014Applicant: AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING, INC.Inventors: George Zalanca, Gregory J. Hilker
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Patent number: 8715127Abstract: An axle assembly having a heat sink coupled to an axle housing assembly for ejecting heat from the axle assembly. The heat sink includes an air channel having a body coupled to the carrier housing assembly such that heat is conducted from the carrier housing assembly to the body of the air channel and an air passage formed in the body and having an open leading end and an open trailing end, the leading end being positioned relative to the carrier housing assembly to permit air flowing over the axle assembly when the axle assembly is in use to be received into the air passage such that heat is conducted from the body to the air flowing through the air passage, and the trailing end being positioned relative to the carrier housing assembly to permit air received in the air passage to be expelled through the trailing end.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2008Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: Kevin R Beutler, James P Borowiak, Gregory J Hilker, David C Johnson, Rajendra D Patil, Jeffrey E Rea
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Patent number: 8585526Abstract: An axle assembly that includes an axle housing assembly, a differential disposed in the axle housing assembly, an input pinion, a pair of axle shafts and a heat sink. The input pinion is coupled to the axle housing assembly and is configured to transmit a rotary input to the differential. The axle shafts are coupled to the differential and housed in the axle housing assembly. The heat sink is coupled to the axle housing assembly and is formed of a material having a thermal conductivity that is greater than that of the axle housing assembly. The heat sink does not consist entirely of a chrome plating, a zinc plating or a cadmium plating.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2010Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: Kevin R. Beutler, James P. Borowiak, Gregory J. Hilker, Rajendra D. Patil, Jeffrey E. Rea
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Patent number: 8512193Abstract: A method for lubricating an axle assembly can include: coupling a pair of tapered roller bearing to opposite ends of a differential housing; placing the differential housing into a carrier housing assembly such that the tapered roller bearings support the differential housing on the carrier housing assembly for rotation about a first axis; collecting a lubricant proximate a side of one of the tapered roller bearings opposite the differential housing; and rotating the differential housing about the first axis to cause the one of the tapered roller bearings to move a portion of the collected lubricant through the differential housing. A related axle assembly is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2013Date of Patent: August 20, 2013Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: Gregory J. Hilker, Gregory E. Woodside, Kevin R. Beutler, Robert B. Dwyer, Chih-Hung Chung
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Patent number: 8409044Abstract: A method for lubricating an axle assembly can include: coupling a pair of tapered roller bearing to opposite ends of a differential housing; placing the differential housing into a carrier housing assembly such that the tapered roller bearings support the differential housing on the carrier housing assembly for rotation about a first axis; collecting a lubricant proximate a side of one of the tapered roller bearings opposite the differential housing; and rotating the differential housing about the first axis to cause the one of the tapered roller bearings to move a portion of the collected lubricant through the differential housing. A related axle assembly is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2008Date of Patent: April 2, 2013Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: Gregory J Hilker, Kevin R Beutler, Robert B Dwyer, Chih-Hung Chung, David R Brandt, William G Hunt, Gregory E Woodside
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Patent number: 8382628Abstract: A power transmitting assembly having a differential case and a differential gearset that is received in an interior chamber in the differential case. The power transmitting assembly is configured to provide improved lubrication into an interior of the differential case.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2011Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: Gregory J. Hilker, Gregory E. Woodside
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Patent number: 8109174Abstract: An axle assembly with an axle housing assembly and a differential that is mounted in the axle housing assembly for rotation about a first axis. The axle housing assembly defines an interior cavity with a sump having a static liquid lubricant level. The axle housing assembly includes a housing structure and a cover that is coupled to the housing structure. First and second sets of ribs are coupled to the cover and extend into the interior cavity. The first and second sets of ribs are disposed on opposite sides of a ring gear associated with the differential and include a plurality of ribs. A first portion of at least one of the ribs extends below the static liquid lubricant level to thereby be immersed when a liquid lubricant fills the sump to a level that coincides with the static liquid lubricant level.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2008Date of Patent: February 7, 2012Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: Gregory J Hilker, Kevin R Beutler, Kirk A Broome
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Patent number: 8021259Abstract: An axle assembly that includes a housing assembly, a lubricant and a differential assembly. The housing assembly defines a differential cavity with a lubricant sump into which the liquid lubricant is received. The differential assembly is mounted in the differential cavity for rotation about a rotational axis and includes a differential case, a ring gear, a gear set and an oil shield. The differential case has a body, which defines a gear cavity into which the gear set is received, and a flange that is coupled to the body and includes a flange face. The ring gear is coupled to the flange. The oil shield is coupled for rotation to the differential case and covers a least a radially outward portion of the circumferentially discontinuous features so that they do not directly contact the liquid lubricant in the lubricant sump when the differential assembly rotates about the rotational axis.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2008Date of Patent: September 20, 2011Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: Gregory J Hilker, Kevin R Beutler
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Publication number: 20110212805Abstract: A power transmitting assembly having a differential case and a differential gearset that is received in an interior chamber in the differential case. The power transmitting assembly is configured to provide improved lubrication into an interior of the differential case.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2011Publication date: September 1, 2011Inventors: Gregory J. Hilker, Gregory E. Woodside
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Patent number: 7963875Abstract: A power transmitting assembly having a differential case and a differential gearset that is received in an interior chamber in the differential case. The differential case defines a tubular bearing mount and a plurality of oil galleries. The tubular bearing mount terminates at a radially extending shoulder. Each oil gallery intersects the radially extending shoulder at a first end and extends through the differential case to communicate with the interior chamber. At least one location along the length of each oil gallery has a lateral cross-section that is smaller than a lateral cross-section of that oil gallery's first end.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2011Date of Patent: June 21, 2011Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: Gregory J. Hilker, Gregory E. Woodside
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Publication number: 20110111911Abstract: A power transmitting assembly having a differential case and a differential gearset that is received in an interior chamber in the differential case. The differential case defines a tubular bearing mount and a plurality of oil galleries. The tubular bearing mount terminates at a radially extending shoulder. Each oil gallery intersects the radially extending shoulder at a first end and extends through the differential case to communicate with the interior chamber. At least one location along the length of each oil gallery has a lateral cross-section that is smaller than a lateral cross-section of that oil gallery's first end.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2011Publication date: May 12, 2011Inventors: Gregory J. Hilker, Gregory E. Woodside
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Publication number: 20110082001Abstract: An axle assembly that includes an axle housing assembly, a differential disposed in the axle housing assembly, an input pinion, a pair of axle shafts and a heat sink. The input pinion is coupled to the axle housing assembly and is configured to transmit a rotary input to the differential. The axle shafts are coupled to the differential and housed in the axle housing assembly. The heat sink is coupled to the axle housing assembly and is formed of a material having a thermal conductivity that is greater than that of the axle housing assembly. The heat sink does not consist entirely of a chrome plating, a zinc plating or a cadmium plating.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 25, 2010Publication date: April 7, 2011Applicant: AMERICAN AXLE & MANUFACTURING, INC.Inventors: Kevin R. Beutler, James P. Borowiak, Gregory J. Hilker, Rajendra D. Patil, Jeffrey E. Rea
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Patent number: 7892131Abstract: A method for lubricating an axle assembly can include: coupling a pair of bearing to opposite ends of a differential housing; placing the differential housing into a carrier housing assembly such that the bearings support the differential housing on the carrier housing assembly for rotation about a first axis; collecting a lubricant proximate a side of one of the bearings opposite the differential housing; and rotating the differential housing about the first axis to cause the one of the bearings to move a portion of the collected lubricant through the differential housing. A related axle assembly is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2007Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: Gregory J. Hilker, Gregory E. Woodside
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Publication number: 20100304914Abstract: A differential with a differential case, a differential gear set and a clutch pack. Apertures are formed axially through the differential case and the clutch pack to facilitate the introduction of lubricant through the differential case and into the clutch pack. An axle assembly and a method of operating an axle assembly are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2009Publication date: December 2, 2010Inventors: Mark S. Barrett, Gregory J. Hilker, William G. Hunt, Gregory E. Woodside
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Patent number: D732382Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: George Zalanca, Gregory J. Hilker