Patents by Inventor Tracy R. Nelson

Tracy R. Nelson 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).

  • Flexible shaft assemblies
    Patent number: 8951130
    Abstract: A flexible shaft assembly that transfers torque from a driver to a driven member includes a stub shaft that includes an elongated shaft axis, where the stub shaft couples to the driver, and a flexible coupling that includes a first hub that is adjustably connected to a second hub, where the second hub is coupled to the driven member and includes an external cylindrical interface. The flexible shaft assembly further includes a spacer that includes a spacer body, a shaft clearance hole that passes through the spacer body having a central axis extending therethrough, and a cylindrical guide surface concentric with the shaft clearance hole, where the external cylindrical interface of the flexible coupling is located inside the cylindrical guide surface, and the first hub adjusts relative to the second hub when the elongated shaft axis is out of alignment with the central axis of the shaft clearance hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark E. Neufelder, Tracy R. Nelson, William L. Huddleston
  • Flexible Shaft Assemblies
    Publication number: 20120240847
    Abstract: A flexible shaft assembly that transfers torque from a driver to a driven member includes a stub shaft that includes an elongated shaft axis, where the stub shaft couples to the driver, and a flexible coupling that includes a first hub that is adjustably connected to a second hub, where the second hub is coupled to the driven member and includes an external cylindrical interface. The flexible shaft assembly further includes a spacer that includes a spacer body, a shaft clearance hole that passes through the spacer body having a central axis extending therethrough, and a cylindrical guide surface concentric with the shaft clearance hole, where the external cylindrical interface of the flexible coupling is located inside the cylindrical guide surface, and the first hub adjusts relative to the second hub when the elongated shaft axis is out of alignment with the central axis of the shaft clearance hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark E. Neufelder, Tracy R. Nelson, William L. Huddleston