Patents by Inventor James M. LeClair

James M. LeClair 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: 7125020
    Abstract: A rotary fluid pressure device (11) having a housing (13,31), inlet and outlet ports (21,23), a gerotor gear set (15), a valve member (51) and an input-output shaft (49). A seal assembly (73) is disposed radially between the shaft (49) and the housing (31). The seal assembly comprises, in the order of leakage flow from a case drain region (63), a high pressure shaft seal (77), an annular chamber (71) in which is disposed a rigid back-up member (79;91) for the seal (77), a drain passage (81) communicating from the annular chamber (71) to a case drain port (47), and a low pressure shaft seal (83). The back-up member (79;91) may cooperate with either the housing (31) or the seal (77) or the input-output shaft (49) to define a fluid passage (87,89;93,95), so that any leakage flow past the high pressure shaft seal (77) flows through the drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: James M. LeClair, Jr., Jarett D. Millar, Andrew T. Miller
  • Publication number: 20040160013
    Abstract: A rotary fluid pressure device (11) having a housing (13,31), inlet and outlet ports (21,23), a gerotor gear set (15), a valve member (51) and an input-output shaft (49). A seal assembly (73) is disposed radially between the shaft (49) and the housing (31). The seal assembly comprises, in the order of leakage flow from a case drain region (63), a high pressure shaft seal (77), an annular chamber (71) in which is disposed a rigid back-up member (79;91) for the seal (77), a drain passage (81) communicating from the annular chamber (71) to a case drain port (47), and a low pressure shaft seal (83). The back-up member (79;91) may cooperate with either the housing (31) or the seal (77) or the input-output shaft (49) to define fluid passage means (87,89;93,95), so that any leakage flow past the high pressure shaft seal (77) flows through the drain passage (81) to the case drain port (47).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Inventors: James M. LeClair, Jarett D. Millar, Andrew T. Miller
  • Patent number: 6743002
    Abstract: A gerotor motor including a brake package, and a method for setting the load holding torque of the brake package. The endcap assembly (21) defines a set of internal threads (85) disposed adjacent a brake package piston member (75). An enclosure member (87) defines a spring seat (115) for a set of Belleville washers (105), and defines a set of external threads (88) engaging the internal threads (85). Upon assembly of the motor and brake package, a resistance load is applied to a motor output shaft (43) corresponding to a desired load holding torque. The motor is pressurized sufficiently to rotate the output shaft in opposition to the resistance load. The enclosure member (87) is rotated so that it moves axially in a direction to increase the bias preload on the Belleville washers (105) until the output shaft (43) no longer rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Jarett D. Millar, James M. LeClair, Jr., Wayne B. Wenker, Bernie W. Neuhaus
  • Publication number: 20030227140
    Abstract: A rotary fluid pressure device (11) having a housing (13,31), inlet and outlet ports (21,23), a gerotor gear set (15), a valve member (51) and an input-output shaft (49). A seal assembly (73) is disposed radially between the shaft (49) and the housing (31). The seal assembly comprises, in the order of leakage flow from a case drain region (63), a high pressure shaft seal (77), an annular chamber (71) in which is disposed a rigid back-up member (79) for the seal (77), a drain passage (81) communicating from the annular chamber (71) to a case drain port (47), and a low pressure shaft seal (83). The back-up member (79) may cooperate with either the housing (31) or the seal (77) to define radial fluid passage means (87,89), so that any leakage flow past the high pressure shaft seal (77) flow to the case drain port (47).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Publication date: December 11, 2003
    Applicant: EATON CORPORATION
    Inventors: James M. LeClair, Jarett D. Millar, Andrew T. Miller