Patents by Inventor Michael Rietdorf
Michael Rietdorf 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: 11867266Abstract: A multi-speed transmission including a plurality of planetary gearsets and a plurality of selective couplers to achieve at least nine forward speed ratios and at least nine reverse speed ratios is disclosed. The plurality of planetary gearsets may include a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, a fourth planetary gearset, and a fifth planetary gearset. The plurality of selective couplers may include a number of clutches and a number of brakes. The multi-speed transmission may have five planetary gearsets and eight selective couplers. The eight selective couplers may include three clutches and five brakes.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2020Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.Inventors: Nayan Patel, Michael Rietdorf, Jorge F. Briceno
-
Patent number: 11686377Abstract: A torque converter assembly that has a turbine assembly, a pump assembly, and a clutch assembly that selectively rotationally couples the turbine assembly to the pump assembly. The clutch assembly also has at least one clutch disk and a backing plate assembly defining a backing plate surface and formed by a first plate and a second plate coupled to one another. The first plate and the second plate are coupled to each other at a first radius and a second radius, the second radius being substantially adjacent to the backing plate surface.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2022Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignee: ALLISON TRANSMISSION, INC.Inventors: Jezrah Horen, Michael Rietdorf
-
Publication number: 20230115225Abstract: A multi-speed transmission including a plurality of planetary gearsets and a plurality of selective couplers to achieve at least nine forward speed ratios and at least nine reverse speed ratios is disclosed. The plurality of planetary gearsets may include a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, a fourth planetary gearset, and a fifth planetary gearset. The plurality of selective couplers may include a number of clutches and a number of brakes. The multi-speed transmission may have five planetary gearsets and eight selective couplers. The eight selective couplers may include three clutches and five brakes.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2020Publication date: April 13, 2023Inventors: Nayan Patel, Michael Rietdorf, Jorge F. Briceno
-
Publication number: 20220235856Abstract: A torque converter assembly that has a turbine assembly, a pump assembly, and a clutch assembly that selectively rotationally couples the turbine assembly to the pump assembly. The clutch assembly also has at least one clutch disk and a backing plate assembly defining a backing plate surface and formed by a first plate and a second plate coupled to one another. The first plate and the second plate are coupled to each other at a first radius and a second radius, the second radius being substantially adjacent to the backing plate surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2022Publication date: July 28, 2022Inventors: Jezrah Horen, Michael Rietdorf
-
Patent number: 11326677Abstract: A torque converter assembly that has a turbine assembly, a pump assembly, and a clutch assembly that selectively rotationally couples the turbine assembly to the pump assembly. The clutch assembly also has at least one clutch disk and a backing plate assembly defining a backing plate surface and formed by a first plate and a second plate coupled to one another. The first plate and the second plate are coupled to each other at a first radius and a second radius, the second radius being substantially adjacent to the backing plate surface.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2020Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: ALLISON TRANSMISSION, INC.Inventors: Jezrah Horen, Michael Rietdorf
-
Patent number: 10975960Abstract: A transmission system includes a fluid-coupling device, an electro-hydraulic control system, and a clutch. The fluid-coupling device includes an input coupled to an impeller, an output coupled to a turbine, and a stator disposed between the impeller and the turbine. The electro-hydraulic control system includes a flow valve disposed in fluid communication with the input and the output of the fluid-coupling device that is movable between at least a first position and a second position, at least one trim valve system fluidly coupled to the flow valve, and a solenoid disposed in fluid communication with the flow valve that is electrically controllable between an energized state and a de-energized state. The clutch is disposable in fluid communication with the flow valve and controllable between an applied position and an unapplied position.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2019Date of Patent: April 13, 2021Assignee: ALLISON TRANSMISSION, INC.Inventors: Michael Rietdorf, Charles F. Long
-
Patent number: 10704611Abstract: A backing plate assembly includes a front cover and a rear cover. The front cover defines an inner surface and a front plane, and the rear cover terminates at a lip. A backing plate forms a body having an outer surface that terminates at a base portion. When the outer surface is coupled to the inner surface, the backing plate is rotationally but not axially coupled to the front cover. The lip contacts the base portion to define a maximum axial distance between the backing plate and the front plane.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2017Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: ALLISON TRANSMISSION, INC.Inventors: Jezrah Horen, Michael Rietdorf, Thinh Nguyen
-
Publication number: 20200200249Abstract: A torque converter assembly that has a turbine assembly, a pump assembly, and a clutch assembly that selectively rotationally couples the turbine assembly to the pump assembly. The clutch assembly also has at least one clutch disk and a backing plate assembly defining a backing plate surface and formed by a first plate and a second plate coupled to one another. The first plate and the second plate are coupled to each other at a first radius and a second radius, the second radius being substantially adjacent to the backing plate surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2020Publication date: June 25, 2020Inventors: Jezrah Horen, Michael Rietdorf
-
Patent number: 10563743Abstract: A torque converter assembly that has a turbine assembly, a pump assembly, and a clutch assembly that selectively rotationally couples the turbine assembly to the pump assembly, the clutch assembly further having at least one clutch disk and a backing plate having at least one finger defined therefrom, the at least one finger rotationally coupled to the at least one clutch disk.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2018Date of Patent: February 18, 2020Assignee: ALLISON TRANSMISSION, INC.Inventors: Jezrah Horen, Michael Rietdorf
-
Publication number: 20190323567Abstract: A transmission system includes a fluid-coupling device, an electro-hydraulic control system, and a clutch. The fluid-coupling device includes an input coupled to an impeller, an output coupled to a turbine, and a stator disposed between the impeller and the turbine. The electro-hydraulic control system includes a flow valve disposed in fluid communication with the input and the output of the fluid-coupling device that is movable between at least a first position and a second position, at least one trim valve system fluidly coupled to the flow valve, and a solenoid disposed in fluid communication with the flow valve that is electrically controllable between an energized state and a de-energized state. The clutch is disposable in fluid communication with the flow valve and controllable between an applied position and an unapplied position.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2019Publication date: October 24, 2019Inventors: Michael Rietdorf, Charles F. Long
-
Publication number: 20190003566Abstract: A torque converter assembly that has a turbine assembly, a pump assembly, and a clutch assembly that selectively rotationally couples the turbine assembly to the pump assembly, the clutch assembly further having at least one clutch disk and a backing plate having at least one finger defined therefrom, the at least one finger rotationally coupled to the at least one clutch disk.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2018Publication date: January 3, 2019Inventors: Jezrah Horen, Michael Rietdorf
-
Patent number: 10125853Abstract: A torque converter assembly includes a pump assembly coupled to a nose hub, a turbine assembly coupled to a turbine hub, a damper assembly coupled to the turbine hub, a backing plate assembly coupled to the nose hub, and a clutch assembly capable of transmitting torsional loads between the backing plate assembly and the damper assembly. The clutch assembly has an engaged position and a disengaged position. When the clutch assembly is engaged, the pump assembly is mechanically coupled to the turbine assembly and when the clutch assembly is disengaged, the pump assembly is not mechanically coupled to the turbine assembly.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2016Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: ALLISON TRANSMISSION, INC.Inventors: Jezrah Horen, Michael Rietdorf
-
Publication number: 20180100550Abstract: A backing plate assembly includes a front cover and a rear cover. The front cover defines an inner surface and a front plane, and the rear cover terminates at a lip. A backing plate forms a body having an outer surface that terminates at a base portion. When the outer surface is coupled to the inner surface, the backing plate is rotationally but not axially coupled to the front cover. The lip contacts the base portion to define a maximum axial distance between the backing plate and the front plane.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2017Publication date: April 12, 2018Inventors: Jezrah Horen, Michael Rietdorf, Thinh Nguyen
-
Patent number: 9897149Abstract: A backing plate assembly includes a front cover and a rear cover. The front cover defines an inner surface and a front plane, and the rear cover terminates at a lip. A backing plate forms a body having an outer surface that terminates at a base portion. When the outer surface is coupled to the inner surface, the backing plate is rotationally but not axially coupled to the front cover. The lip contacts the base portion to define a maximum axial distance between the backing plate and the front plane.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2016Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: Allison Transmissions, Inc.Inventors: Jezrah Horen, Michael Rietdorf, Thinh Nguyen
-
Publication number: 20160238085Abstract: A backing plate assembly includes a front cover and a rear cover. The front cover defines an inner surface and a front plane, and the rear cover terminates at a lip. A backing plate forms a body having an outer surface that terminates at a base portion. When the outer surface is coupled to the inner surface, the backing plate is rotationally but not axially coupled to the front cover. The lip contacts the base portion to define a maximum axial distance between the backing plate and the front plane.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2016Publication date: August 18, 2016Inventors: JEZRAH HOREN, Michael Rietdorf, Thinh Nguyen
-
Publication number: 20160238117Abstract: A torque converter assembly includes a pump assembly coupled to a nose hub, a turbine assembly coupled to a turbine hub, a damper assembly coupled to the turbine hub, a backing plate assembly coupled to the nose hub, and a clutch assembly capable of transmitting torsional loads between the backing plate assembly and the damper assembly. The clutch assembly has an engaged position and a disengaged position. When the clutch assembly is engaged, the pump assembly is mechanically coupled to the turbine assembly and when the clutch assembly is disengaged, the pump assembly is not mechanically coupled to the turbine assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2016Publication date: August 18, 2016Inventors: JEZRAH HOREN, MICHAEL RIETDORF
-
Publication number: 20150362054Abstract: The present disclosure provides a blade of a stator assembly. The blade includes a body having a first end and a second end. A flow direction is defined normal to the first end. The blade also includes a leading edge defined at the first end and a trailing edge defined at the second end. A first curved surface and a second curved surface are formed between the leading edge and the trailing edge of the blade. A camber line is defined through the leading edge and the trailing edge. The camber line is oriented at a negative angle relative to the flow direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 12, 2014Publication date: December 17, 2015Inventors: John R. Murdock, Conrad L. Rockey, Michael Rietdorf