Patents by Inventor Jonathan Heywood

Jonathan Heywood 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: 7506623
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for the electrical adjustment of the relative rotary-angle position between a camshaft (2) and a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, with an adjusting gear (3) which has a driving part (4) fixed with respect to the crankshaft, a driven part (5) fixed with respect to the camshaft and an adjusting shaft (8) connected fixedly in terms of rotation to an adjustment-unit shaft (6) of an electrical adjustment unit (7). In order to achieve a simpler type of construction which, moreover, is distinguished by quiet running, there is provision, according to the invention, for the adjusting shaft (8) to be arranged in a radially floating manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Jens Schäfer, Martin Steigerwald, Jonathan Heywood
  • Publication number: 20090050088
    Abstract: A camshaft adjuster for adjusting the relative angular positions of a camshaft and a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine in accordance with a setting shaft is provided. In which the setting shaft is driven by a setting assembly and has a driving connection with an adjusting gear through a coupling. The drive moment is transmitted in the coupling by a radial extension (21) of a first coupling half (19), which contacts a second coupling half (25) without play in a circumferential direction and which is movable in a direction of a Y-Y axis relative to a second coupling half (25). This permits compensation of eccentricities between the setting shaft of the setting assembly and the adjusting gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2005
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Jens Schafer, Martin Steigerwald, Jonathan Heywood
  • Publication number: 20080314345
    Abstract: An adjustment device (1) for adjusting the relative rotational angle position of a camshaft (2) in relation to a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine is provided, with the device having an adjustment mechanism (3), which is embodied as a triple-shaft transmission and provided with an input part (4) fixed to the crankshaft, an output part fixed to the camshaft, and an adjusting shaft (7) connected to an adjusting motor shaft (5) of an adjusting motor (6). The motor (6) is provided as an electric motor and is spatially separated from the adjusting shaft (7), and the torque produced thereby is transmitted to the adjusting shaft (7), either mechanically via a flexible shaft (8), pneumatically via a compressor (9) operating a pneumatic motor (13) using pressurized air, or hydraulically via a hydraulic motor (16) and a pump (14) providing the hydraulic medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventors: Jens Schafer, Martin Steigerwald, Jonathan Heywood
  • Publication number: 20080236530
    Abstract: An adjustment device (1) for adjusting the relative rotational angle position of a camshaft (2) in relation to a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine is provided, with the device having an adjustment mechanism (3), which is embodied as a triple-shaft transmission and provided with an input part (4) fixed to the crankshaft, an output part fixed to the camshaft, and an adjusting shaft (7) connected to an adjusting motor shaft (5) of an adjusting motor (6). The motor (6) is provided as an electric motor and is arranged parallel to the camshaft (2). The motor generates an adjustment torque that is transmitted to the adjustment shaft (7) via a secondary drive (18) that has a belt drive, a chain drive, a cardan drive, or an additional spur gear stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventors: Jens Schafer, Martin Steigerwald, Jonathan Heywood
  • Publication number: 20080210182
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electric camshaft adjuster for adjusting and securing the phase angle of a camshaft of an internal combustion engine with respect to its crankshaft, having a three shaft gearing which is embodied as a harmonic drive (19, 19?) of sleeve design, and a drive wheel (1) which is fixed to the crankshaft and has a first ring gear (2) as well as an output component (4) which is fixed to the camshaft and has a second ring gear (5) arranged next to the first ring gear (2) and an adjustment shaft (10, 10?, 10?, 10??) which can be driven by an electric adjustment motor, with a wave generator (17, 17?, 17?) which has means for elliptically deforming a flexurally elastic, externally toothed sleeve (18).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2005
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventors: Jens Schaefer, Martin Steigerwald, Jonathan Heywood
  • Publication number: 20080053389
    Abstract: Adjustment device (1) for adjusting a relative rotational angle position of a camshaft (3) relative to a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine is provided. The adjusting device includes a crankshaft-fixed drive part (4) and a camshaft-fixed driven part (5). The adjustment device (1) has an adjustment motor (2) as a primary adjustment device and an auxiliary drive (11) as a secondary adjustment device. When the adjusting motor fails, the camshaft (3) can be moved into a fixed rotational angle position, an emergency running position, by the auxiliary drive (11).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2005
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventors: Jens Schafer, Mike Kohrs, Martin Steigerwald, Jonathan Heywood
  • Patent number: 7275506
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for the variable setting of the control times of gas-exchange valves of an internal combustion engine, with a driving element (12), with a driven element (8) and with an adjusting gear (11) designed as a triple-shaft gear, the driving element (12) being mounted rotatably with respect to the driven element (8) on the latter or on the camshaft (9). The relative phase position of the driven element (8) with respect to the driving element (12) can be selectively varied or held by means of the adjusting gear (11). According to the invention, it is proposed to mount the driving element (12) on the driven element (8) by means of rolling bearings (19, 21). Radial and/or axial forces can thereby be supported in an optimized way in terms of friction, as a result of which the efficiency of the device (1) is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Schaeffler-KG
    Inventors: Jens Schäfer, Martin Steigerwald, Jonathan Heywood
  • Publication number: 20070074692
    Abstract: An adjustment device (1) for adjusting the relative rotational angle position of a camshaft (2) in relation to a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine is provided, with the device having an adjustment mechanism (3), which is embodied as a triple-shaft transmission and provided with an input part (4) fixed to the crankshaft, an output part fixed to the camshaft, and an adjusting shaft (7) connected to an adjusting motor shaft (5) of an adjusting motor (6). The motor (6) is provided as an electric motor and is spatially separated from the adjusting shaft (7), and the torque produced thereby is transmitted to the adjusting shaft (7), either mechanically via a flexible shaft (8), pneumatically via a compressor (9) operating a pneumatic motor (13) using pressurized air, or hydraulically via a hydraulic motor (16) and a pump (14) providing the hydraulic medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2004
    Publication date: April 5, 2007
    Inventors: Jens Schafer, Martin Steigerwald, Jonathan Heywood
  • Publication number: 20060236966
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for the variable setting of the control times of gas-exchange valves of an internal combustion engine, with a driving element (12), with a driven element (8) and with an adjusting gear (11) designed as a triple-shaft gear, the driving element (12) being mounted rotatably with respect to the driven element (8) on the latter or on the camshaft (9). The relative phase position of the driven element (8) with respect to the driving element (12) can be selectively varied or held by means of the adjusting gear (11). According to the invention, it is proposed to mount the driving element (12) on the driven element (8) by means of rolling bearings (19, 21). Radial and/or axial forces can thereby be supported in an optimized way in terms of friction, as a result of which the efficiency of the device (1) is increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventors: Jens Schafer, Martin Steigerwald, Jonathan Heywood
  • Publication number: 20060236965
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for the electrical adjustment of the relative rotary-angle position between a camshaft (2) and a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine, with an adjusting gear (3) which has a driving part (4) fixed with respect to the crankshaft, a driven part (5) fixed with respect to the camshaft and an adjusting shaft (8) connected fixedly in terms of rotation to an adjustment-unit shaft (6) of an electrical adjustment unit (7). In order to achieve a simpler type of construction which, moreover, is distinguished by quiet running, there is provision, according to the invention, for the adjusting shaft (8) to be arranged in a radially floating manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventors: Jens Schaefer, Martin Steigerwald, Jonathan Heywood
  • Patent number: 7089897
    Abstract: An electrical adjusting device for changing an angle of rotation of a camshaft (3) relative to a crankshaft of an internal-combustion engine is provided. The device includes an adjusting gear unit (1), which is formed as a triple-shaft gear unit, including an input part (4) that is fixed to the crankshaft, an output part (5) that is fixed to the camshaft, and an adjusting shaft (6), which is connected in a torsion-proof manner to an electric adjusting motor (2) having a permanent magnet rotor and a stator (8) fixed to the housing. A stationary gear ratio (i0), the value of which defines the adjusting gear unit (1) as a positive or negative gear unit and deter-mines whether a direction of adjustment of the camshaft (3, 65, 69) is into an advanced or retarded base position, is located between the input part (4) and the output part (5) when the adjusting shaft is at rest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: INA-Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Jens Schäfer, Martin Steigerwald, Jonathan Heywood
  • Patent number: 7047923
    Abstract: A device for varying valve timing in an internal combustion engine comprises an adjusting mechanism for varying an angle of rotation between a drive pinion (2) and a camshaft (end portion of the camshaft 1), said adjusting mechanism being configured as a wobble transmission. The drive pinion (2) comprises a first front-end gearing (9) and a disk (10) comprises a second front-end gearing (11), which first and second front-end gearings mesh partially with each other, and the number of teeth of said front-end gearings differ from each other by at least one tooth. To reduce the overall dimensions of the device and avoid gearing lash, it is proposed, on the one hand, to connect the disk (10) rotationally fast to the camshaft (1) and on the other hand, to configure the disk (10) in axial direction of the camshaft (1) as a flexible element that can be deformed in axial direction by an adjusting device (thrust plate 17).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: INA-Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Jens Schafer, Martin Steigerwald, Jonathan Heywood
  • Publication number: 20050217621
    Abstract: A device for varying valve timing in an internal combustion engine comprises an adjusting mechanism for varying an angle of rotation between a drive pinion (2) and a camshaft (end portion of the camshaft 1), said adjusting mechanism being configured as a wobble transmission. The drive pinion (2) comprises a first front-end gearing (9) and a disk (10) comprises a second front-end gearing (11), which first and second front-end gearings mesh partially with each other, and the number of teeth of said front-end gearings differ from each other by at least one tooth. To reduce the overall dimensions of the device and avoid gearing lash, it is proposed, on the one hand, to connect the disk (10) rotationally fast to the camshaft (1) and on the other hand, to configure the disk (10) in axial direction of the camshaft (1) as a flexible element that can be deformed in axial direction by an adjusting device (thrust plate 17).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Inventors: Jens Schafer, Martin Steigerwald, Jonathan Heywood
  • Publication number: 20050103299
    Abstract: An electrical adjusting device for changing an angle of rotation of a camshaft (3) relative to a crankshaft of an internal-combustion engine is provided. The device includes an adjusting gear unit (1), which is formed as a triple-shaft gear unit, including an input part (4) that is fixed to the crankshaft, an output part (5) that is fixed to the camshaft, and an adjusting shaft (6), which is connected in a torsion-proof manner to an electric adjusting motor (2) having a permanent magnet rotor and a stator (8) fixed to the housing. A stationary gear ratio (10), the value of which defines the adjusting gear unit (1) as a positive or negative gear unit and deter-mines whether a direction of adjustment of the camshaft (3, 65, 69) is into an advanced or retarded base position, is located between the input part (4) and the output part (5) when the adjusting shaft is at rest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2004
    Publication date: May 19, 2005
    Applicant: INA-Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Jens Schafer, Martin Steigerwald, Jonathan Heywood