Patents by Inventor James Stephen Rice

James Stephen Rice 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).

  • Multi-speed transmission
    Patent number: 8480533
    Abstract: A multi-speed transmission may include an input member and an output member disposed in a housing. A first planetary gear set, a second planetary gear set, a third planetary gear set, and a fourth planetary gear set may also be disposed in the housing, each planetary gear set including a sun gear, a planet carrier, and a ring gear. Six control elements may be operably coupled to the planetary gear sets and selectively engageable to create a set of different gear ratios between the input member and the output member, the set of different gear ratios including at least nine forward gear ratios and at least two reverse gear ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Gerard Meyer, James Stephen Rice, Peter Hall Hodges, Larry Wayne Carpenter, Kevin Jay Knox
  • Universal gear train
    Patent number: 7998016
    Abstract: A gear train includes a first planetary gear set including a first sun gear, a first ring gear, and a first carrier and a second planetary gear set including a second sun gear, a second ring gear, and second carrier. The gear train also includes a first clutch configured to selectively connect the first carrier with the second carrier and a second clutch configured to selectively connect the first sun gear with the second sun gear. The gear train also includes a first brake configured to selectively fix the first sun gear, a second brake configured to selectively fix the second sun gear, and a third brake configured to selectively fix the first carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Baojun Si, Barry Mei, William H. Lane, James Stephen Rice
  • Multi-Speed Transmission
    Publication number: 20110124462
    Abstract: A multi-speed transmission may include an input member and an output member disposed in a housing. A first planetary gear set, a second planetary gear set, a third planetary gear set, and a fourth planetary gear set may also be disposed in the housing, each planetary gear set including a sun gear, a planet carrier, and a ring gear. Six control elements may be operably coupled to the planetary gear sets and selectively engageable to create a set of different gear ratios between the input member and the output member, the set of different gear ratios including at least nine forward gear ratios and at least two reverse gear ratios.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin Gerard Meyer, James Stephen Rice, Peter Hall Hodges, Larry Wayne Carpenter, Kevin Jay Knox
  • Universal gear train
    Publication number: 20100160108
    Abstract: A gear train includes a first planetary gear set including a first sun gear, a first ring gear, and a first carrier and a second planetary gear set including a second sun gear, a second ring gear, and second carrier. The gear train also includes a first clutch configured to selectively connect the first carrier with the second carrier and a second clutch configured to selectively connect the first sun gear with the second sun gear. The gear train also includes a first brake configured to selectively fix the first sun gear, a second brake configured to selectively fix the second sun gear, and a third brake configured to selectively fix the first carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventors: Baojun Si, Barry Mei, William H. Lane, James Stephen Rice