Patents by Inventor William G. Spadafora
William G. Spadafora 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).
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Patent number: 8499875Abstract: An energy storage system, for a hybrid vehicle including an internal combustion engine having an output shaft and a transmission operably coupled to the output shaft, includes a reservoir containing working fluid, a reversible pump/motor in fluid communication with the reservoir, a first clutch selectively drivably coupling the output shaft of the engine and the reversible pump/motor, a second clutch selectively drivably coupling an output shaft of the transmission and the reversible pump/motor, and an accumulator containing working fluid and gas. The accumulator is in fluid communication with the reversible pump/motor to deliver pressurized working fluid to the reversible pump/motor when operating as a motor to drive one of the respective output shafts of the engine and the transmission, and to receive pressurized working fluid discharged by the reversible pump/motor when operating as a pump driven by the one of the respective output shafts of the engine and the transmission.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2012Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Kenric B. Rose, William G. Spadafora, Edward J. Greif
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Publication number: 20130008152Abstract: An energy storage system, for a hybrid vehicle including an internal combustion engine having an output shaft and a transmission operably coupled to the output shaft, includes a reservoir containing working fluid, a reversible pump/motor in fluid communication with the reservoir, a first clutch selectively drivably coupling the output shaft of the engine and the reversible pump/motor, a second clutch selectively drivably coupling an output shaft of the transmission and the reversible pump/motor, and an accumulator containing working fluid and gas. The accumulator is in fluid communication with the reversible pump/motor to deliver pressurized working fluid to the reversible pump/motor when operating as a motor to drive one of the respective output shafts of the engine and the transmission, and to receive pressurized working fluid discharged by the reversible pump/motor when operating as a pump driven by the one of the respective output shafts of the engine and the transmission.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2012Publication date: January 10, 2013Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBHInventors: Kenric B. Rose, William G. Spadafora, Edward Greif
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Patent number: 8302720Abstract: An energy storage system for a hybrid vehicle, including an internal combustion engine having an output shaft and a transmission operably coupled to the output shaft, includes a reservoir containing working fluid, a first reversible pump/motor in fluid communication with the reservoir and selectively drivably coupled to the output shaft of the engine, a second reversible pump/motor in fluid communication with the reservoir and selectively drivably coupled to an output shaft of the transmission, and an accumulator containing working fluid and gas. The accumulator is in selective fluid communication with at least one of the first and second reversible pump/motors to deliver pressurized working fluid to the one of the first and second reversible pump/motors when operating as a motor, and to receive pressurized working fluid discharged by the one of the first and second reversible pump/motors when operating as a pump.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2009Date of Patent: November 6, 2012Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Kenric B. Rose, William G. Spadafora, Edward J. Greif
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Patent number: 8186155Abstract: A method of varying a charge in an accumulator includes providing an accumulator containing working fluid and gas, providing a reservoir containing gas, transferring gas from the reservoir to the accumulator to increase the gas pressure in the accumulator, and transferring gas from the accumulator to the reservoir to decrease the gas pressure in the accumulator.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2009Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Kenric B. Rose, William G. Spadafora
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Publication number: 20100192563Abstract: A method of varying a charge in an accumulator includes providing an accumulator containing working fluid and gas, providing a reservoir containing gas, transferring gas from the reservoir to the accumulator to increase the gas pressure in the accumulator, and transferring gas from the accumulator to the reservoir to decrease the gas pressure in the accumulator.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2009Publication date: August 5, 2010Applicant: Robert Bosch GmbHInventors: Kenric B. Rose, William G. Spadafora
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Publication number: 20100186408Abstract: An energy storage system for a hybrid vehicle, including an internal combustion engine having an output shaft and a transmission operably coupled to the output shaft, includes a reservoir containing working fluid, a first reversible pump/motor in fluid communication with the reservoir and selectively drivably coupled to the output shaft of the engine, a second reversible pump/motor in fluid communication with the reservoir and selectively drivably coupled to an output shaft of the transmission, and an accumulator containing working fluid and gas. The accumulator is in selective fluid communication with at least one of the first and second reversible pump/motors to deliver pressurized working fluid to the one of the first and second reversible pump/motors when operating as a motor, and to receive pressurized working fluid discharged by the one of the first and second reversible pump/motors when operating as a pump.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2009Publication date: July 29, 2010Applicant: ROBERT BOSCH GMBHInventors: Kenric B. Rose, William G. Spadafora, Edward J. Greif
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Patent number: 7689230Abstract: A node for communications in a transportation network comprises a processor, a memory, a communication device, and a set of instructions executable by the processor for: extracting information from a first message, making a first determination based at least in part on the information; and making a second determination as to whether a second message should be sent based on the first determination.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2005Date of Patent: March 30, 2010Assignee: Bosch Rexroth CorporationInventors: William G. Spadafora, Perry M. Paielli, David R. Llewellyn, Jason G. Kramer
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Patent number: 6909951Abstract: A fail-safe torque transducer, and automotive power steering system, utilizing a two-stage series coupled torsion bar system. A first stage torsion bar provides tuning of the steering system, and by reducing its diameter relative to the second stage, provides a lower torsional spring rate and higher operational stress level than that of the second stage. The second stage torsion bar provides the stress/strain indicia referenced by a torque-measuring device, and is stressed at a lower level than the first stage and therefore has a higher cycle life than that of the first stage bar. Hence, if stress related failure ever occurs, it will only occur in the first stage torsion bar, thereby preventing any torque from reaching the second stage, thereby causing a zero strain signal and thus rendering the system fail-safe and not subject to instability of vehicle steering if the torsion bar breaks.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2003Date of Patent: June 21, 2005Assignee: Dana CorporationInventors: David R. Llewellyn, William G. Spadafora, Jason G. Kramer