Patents by Inventor Gregory M. Eisengruber

Gregory M. Eisengruber 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: 10711885
    Abstract: A coupling and electromechanical control assembly and an electromechanical system for controlling the operating mode of a selectable clutch assembly are provided. The system includes a control member mounted for controlled rotation about a first axis. An actuator and transmission assembly includes a rotary output shaft and a set of interconnected transmission elements including a cam coupled to the output shaft to rotate therewith and a reciprocating member having a first end which rides in or on the cam to cause the reciprocating member to reciprocate upon rotation of the output shaft. A second end of the reciprocating member is coupled to the control member for selective, small-displacement, control member angular rotation about the first axis between different angular positions which correspond to different operating modes of the clutch assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: Means Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory M. Eisengruber
  • Publication number: 20180045306
    Abstract: A coupling and electromechanical control assembly and an electromechanical system for controlling the operating mode of a selectable clutch assembly are provided. The system includes a control member mounted for controlled rotation about a first axis. An actuator and transmission assembly includes a rotary output shaft and a set of interconnected transmission elements including a cam coupled to the output shaft to rotate therewith and a reciprocating member having a first end which rides in or on the cam to cause the reciprocating member to reciprocate upon rotation of the output shaft. A second end of the reciprocating member is coupled to the control member for selective, small-displacement, control member angular rotation about the first axis between different angular positions which correspond to different operating modes of the clutch assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Applicant: MEANS INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventor: Gregory M. EISENGRUBER
  • Patent number: 8286772
    Abstract: A controllable coupling assembly including a coupling member and an overrunning coupling and control assembly utilizing same are provided wherein a set of actuators are supported on a control member of the assembly for movement therewith to move or pivot respective struts received within pockets of the coupling member. Apparatus is responsive to a control pressure signal to exert a control force on the control member to cause the control member to move from its first position which corresponds to a first mode of the coupling assembly to its second position which corresponds to a second mode of the coupling assembly. The coupling assembly may be an overrunning clutch assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Means Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory M. Eisengruber
  • Patent number: 8272488
    Abstract: Overrunning coupling and control assemblies, each of which includes control apparatus having a latching mechanism are provided. Each latching mechanism prevents an actuator arm of an overrunning coupling assembly from moving in a first direction substantially parallel to a shift direction of a control plate of the coupling assembly within a housing slot in a locked condition of the mechanism in a first position of the control plate. A control pressure signal within a bore of the housing changes the condition of the latching mechanism from locked to unlocked to unlock the actuator arm and causes the unlocked actuator arm to move along the first direction within the slot and the control element to move along the shift direction to a second position. The control pressure signal also causes a piston which has a groove formed in its outer surface to receive and retain a free end portion of the actuator arm to slide within the bore in the housing against the biasing force of the at least one biasing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Means Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory M. Eisengruber, Terry O. Hendrick, Jeffrey C. Hoppe, Robert D. Fetting, Joshua A. Bukoffsky
  • Patent number: 8051959
    Abstract: An overrunning coupling assembly includes a control element mounted for controlled shifting movement between coupling faces of annular coupling members relative to a first set of pockets in the first member. The control element is operable for controlling position of only reverse struts in the first set of pockets without controlling the position of forward struts in a second set of pockets in the coupling face of the second member. The control element allows at least one of the reverse struts to engage at least one of a set of locking formations on the coupling face of the second coupling member in a first position of the control element. The control element maintains the reverse struts in their pockets in a second position of the control element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Means Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory M. Eisengruber
  • Publication number: 20100252384
    Abstract: A controllable coupling assembly including a coupling member and an overrunning coupling and control assembly utilizing same are provided wherein a set of actuators are supported on a control member of the assembly for movement therewith to move or pivot respective struts received within pockets of the coupling member. Apparatus is responsive to a control pressure signal to exert a control force on the control member to cause the control member to move from its first position which corresponds to a first mode of the coupling assembly to its second position which corresponds to a second mode of the coupling assembly. The coupling assembly may be an overrunning clutch assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: MEANS INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventor: Gregory M. Eisengruber
  • Publication number: 20100200358
    Abstract: Overrunning coupling and control assemblies, each of which includes control apparatus having a latching mechanism are provided. Each latching mechanism prevents an actuator arm of an overrunning coupling assembly from moving in a first direction substantially parallel to a shift direction of a control plate of the coupling assembly within a housing slot in a locked condition of the mechanism in a first position of the control plate. A control pressure signal within a bore of the housing changes the condition of the latching mechanism from locked to unlocked to unlock the actuator arm and causes the unlocked actuator arm to move along the first direction within the slot and the control element to move along the shift direction to a second position. The control pressure signal also causes a piston which has a groove formed in its outer surface to receive and retain a free end portion of the actuator arm to slide within the bore in the housing against the biasing force of the at least one biasing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: MEANS INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Gregory M. Eisengruber, Terry O. Hendrick, Jeffrey C. Hoppe, Robert D. Fetting, Joshua A. Bukoffosky
  • Publication number: 20090159391
    Abstract: An overrunning coupling assembly includes a control element mounted for controlled shifting movement between coupling faces of annular coupling members relative to a first set of pockets in the first member. The control element is operable for controlling position of only reverse struts in the first set of pockets without controlling the position of forward struts in a second set of pockets in the coupling face of the second member. The control element allows at least one of the reverse struts to engage at least one of a set of locking formations on the coupling face of the second coupling member in a first position of the control element. The control element maintains the reverse struts in their pockets in a second position of the control element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: Means Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory M. Eisengruber
  • Patent number: 7296668
    Abstract: An overrunning clutch (24) has first and second clutch members (30, 32) having coupling faces (34) and (36) between which spring biased pivotal struts (40) and locking formations (44) cooperate to prevent relative rotation in only one direction. A snap ring (48) and thrust plate (50) cooperate to axially secure the clutch members (30) and (32) to each other and the thrust plate has a retainer (52) projecting therefrom to prevent rotation. The retainer (52) in certain embodiments is received between ends (58) of the snap ring (48) to prevent thrust plate rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Means Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert D. Fetting, Jr., Gregory M. Eisengruber