Clutch Patents (Class 73/115.04)
  • Patent number: 11654390
    Abstract: Aspects herein include filter systems including short-range wireless tracking features to detect insertion and/or removal of filter elements from filter systems. In an embodiment, a filtration system is included having a housing including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The housing can define an internal volume. A first filter element can be removably disposed within the housing. A short-range wireless communication tag can be associated with the first filter element. A short-range wireless communication reader can be associated with the housing, the reader configured to wirelessly send data to and receive data from the tag when the reader and the tag are at a distance that is less than or equal to a maximum communication distance. Removal of the first filter element from the housing can cause the distance between the tag and the reader to exceed the maximum communication distance. Other embodiments are also included herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Donaldson Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny W. Miller, Daniel E. Adamek
  • Patent number: 11486470
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an actuation system for a driveline shifting member in a transmission system of a vehicle. In one example, a system may include an actuator coupled to a lever arm via one or more parallel axis gears, and a shaft connecting the lever arm to a driveline shifting member, the lever arm driven via a rolling element housed within a slot in the lever arm aligned with a center of a parallel axis gear of the one or more parallel axis gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Dana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group, LLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Wright, Michael Z. Creech
  • Patent number: 11143248
    Abstract: The present invention relates, inter alia, to a method for regulating the engagement position of a position-controlled clutch unit for a drive train of a motor vehicle. The clutch unit has at least one wet-running friction clutch for the controllable transmission of a torque from an input element to an output element and an actuator for setting the engagement position for the purposes of mutual compression of the input and output elements. The method compensates a time-dependent setting behavior of the friction clutch on the basis of the uptake of lubrication oil of the friction clutch, which varies over time, in that the engagement position of the clutch unit is regulated by means of the actuator as a function of the time-dependent setting behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA POWERTRAIN GMBH & CO KG
    Inventors: Sebastian Pollak, Franz Faschinger, Ivan Sebastiani, Peter Zoehrer
  • Patent number: 11090599
    Abstract: Aspects herein include filter systems including short-range wireless tracking features to detect insertion and/or removal of filter elements from filter systems. In an embodiment, a filtration system is included having a housing including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The housing can define an internal volume. A first filter element can be removably disposed within the housing. A short-range wireless communication tag can be associated with the first filter element. A short-range wireless communication reader can be associated with the housing, the reader configured to wirelessly send data to and receive data from the tag when the reader and the tag are at a distance that is less than or equal to a maximum communication distance. Removal of the first filter element from the housing can cause the distance between the tag and the reader to exceed the maximum communication distance. Other embodiments are also included herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Donaldson Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny W. Miller, Daniel E. Adamek
  • Patent number: 10702823
    Abstract: Aspects herein include filter systems including short-range wireless tracking features to detect insertion and/or removal of filter elements from filter systems. In an embodiment, a filtration system is included having a housing including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The housing can define an internal volume. A first filter element can be removably disposed within the housing. A short-range wireless communication tag can be associated with the first filter element. A short-range wireless communication reader can be associated with the housing, the reader configured to wirelessly send data to and receive data from the tag when the reader and the tag are at a distance that is less than or equal to a maximum communication distance. Removal of the first filter element from the housing can cause the distance between the tag and the reader to exceed the maximum communication distance. Other embodiments are also included herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Donaldson Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny William Miller, Daniel E. Adamek
  • Patent number: 10427082
    Abstract: Aspects herein include filter systems including short-range wireless tracking features to detect insertion and/or removal of filter elements from filter systems. In an embodiment, a filtration system is included having a housing including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The housing can define an internal volume. A first filter element can be removably disposed within the housing. A short-range wireless communication tag can be associated with the first filter element. A short-range wireless communication reader can be associated with the housing, the reader configured to wirelessly send data to and receive data from the tag when the reader and the tag are at a distance that is less than or equal to a maximum communication distance. Removal of the first filter element from the housing can cause the distance between the tag and the reader to exceed the maximum communication distance. Other embodiments are also included herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Donaldson Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Danny William Miller, Daniel E. Adamek
  • Patent number: 10184533
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a control method for a vehicle with a DCT, the method including: a diagnosing step of disengaging a corresponding clutch and limiting engine torque to suppress an increase in engine RPM when a controller detects an error from a hall sensor signal, and then applying a test pulse for diagnosing the hall sensor; a reset attempting step of attempting to reset the clutch to an initial position when the controller determines that the hall sensor signal is normal after the diagnosing step; and a returning step of starting normal control of the clutch from the initial position to a target clutch stroke by means of the controller and of removing the limiting of the engine torque, when the clutch is reset to the initial position in the reset attempting step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Sung Hyun Cho, Ho Sung Kim, Young Min Yoon, Seong Hwan Cheong
  • Patent number: 9969216
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electronic caster system for use with a furniture component. The system may have a caster with a body portion, a wheel supported for rolling movement relative to the body portion, and a neck portion. The neck portion may be adapted to be operably coupled to the furniture component to enable swiveling movement of the body portion. A processor may be provided which is supported on the caster. A sensing component may also be included which is carried on the caster for sensing a condition affecting the caster, and generating an output signal in accordance with the sensed condition to the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: TOME, INC.
    Inventors: Jacob R. Sigal, Massimo Baldini, Philip J. Danne, Kent Suzuki, Eric Christopher Barch
  • Patent number: 9951827
    Abstract: A method of determining automatic transmission lubrication fluid flow rates corresponding to a running vehicle without direct oil flow measurements is disclosed. A set of in-vehicle clutch torques for a chosen clutch pack during a gear shift event for a set of shift conditions is obtained. A series of bench tests at various clutch-pack clearances and oil-flow rates for the set of shift conditions are performed. The clearances and oil-flow rates are adjusted in response to the measured magnitudes exceeding thresholds. In-vehicle transmission lubrication oil-flow rates are estimated at the chosen clutch pack for the set of shift conditions when the bench-test and in-vehicle clutch torques are less than the thresholds. The steps are reproduced for other engine conditions and fluid temperatures corresponding to other transmission gear positions. A functional map of in-vehicle oil flow rates are produced, and the transmission is adjusted based on the map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yuji Fujii, Gregory Michael Pietron, Rohit Hippalgaonkar
  • Patent number: 8405497
    Abstract: An alarm device for a clutch that issues an alarm indicating a lifetime expiration of the clutch that selectively connects and disconnects an input shaft to and from an output shaft, includes: a slip heat release threshold setting unit 104 that establishes a threshold criteria as to a clutch damage or the clutch lifetime, in a form of a relation between a heat release generated in a clutch slip operation and a frequency of the heat release occurrences; and a slip heat release calculator 105 that calculates the heat release during the clutch operation, based on a hydraulic oil pressure in an actual clutch operation and a relative circumferential speed between input and output shafts, the alarm device 11 issues the alarm based on the calculation result through the slip heat release calculating means 105 and the slip heat release threshold setting means 104.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunari Okabe, Akihiko Fujimoto, Takeshi Harasawa
  • Patent number: 8225650
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring the uniformity of the moments of shiftable friction clutch systems, the individual friction clutch system comprising an adapter at the input end and at least one adapter at the output end, as well as a system for measuring the uniformity of the moments of shiftable friction clutch systems. According to the invention, the friction clutch system is inserted into a measuring apparatus encompassing at least one moment measuring device. The clutch plates that transmit the driving power in a frictionally engaged manner are pressed against each other by means of a test force. The driving motor is driven at a certain test speed. The torque of the driving motor transmitted by means of the friction clutch system is measured within a certain interval with the aid of the moment measuring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Ritschel, Ludwig Moch, Michael Schäfer
  • Patent number: 8156796
    Abstract: A sensor arrangement (1) for a clutch device (22) comprising a housing (2) and a sensor part (5, 5?) with at least one sensor (17) for detecting the position of a movable part (3) of the clutch device (22). The housing (2) has a recess (6) for the sensor part (5, 5?) and the sensor part (5, 5?) is fastened to a stationary part (2, 20). The sensor part (5, 5?) may be positioned on the clutch device (22) from the outside through the recess (6) of the housing and detachably fastened to the stationary part (2, 20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Kim Fuhrer
  • Publication number: 20120046141
    Abstract: An automated system for testing a variety of transmissions and drive line gearbox components, and more particularly helicopter transmissions, for reliability, life expectancy, efficiency, and the like on a semi-automated basis. The system powers a unit under test with a pair of AC, variable speed drive motors connected to the transmission through relatively low speed gearboxes which in turn drive the input(s) of the test unit through geared cartridge spindles (GCSs) employing planetary gearset inputs driving a higher speed machine tool type spindle with an output chuck system which can automatically couple to adapters preloaded on the unit under test. Similar GCSs couple the outputs of the test unit to AC motors which act as generators to power the driving motors and thereby reduce the required electric power input to the losses in the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: REDVIKING GROUP, LLC
    Inventors: Gerald W. Blankenship, Christopher Lake, David Gonyea, Kevin Harris, Matthew Thompson
  • Publication number: 20110149300
    Abstract: An object is to provide a method of detecting an amount of an axis displacement in a power transmission device using an automatic self-aligning engagement clutch, the method being capable of accurately detecting the amount of the axis displacement in the automatic self-aligning engagement clutch during an operation with a simple configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Inventor: Kenyu Takeda
  • Patent number: 7854162
    Abstract: In a method for referencing the position of an actuating element of a functional unit, in particular of a clutch in the drivetrain of a vehicle, the attainment of a reference position of the actuating element is assessed for plausibility in that it is checked whether a variable which can be applied to the actuating element varies in a predetermined way in a predetermined spacing of the position of the actuating element from the reference position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Matthias Panzer, Markus Baehr, Juergen Eich, Alexander Renfer, Joachim Hirt, Thomas Weber
  • Publication number: 20100275681
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring the uniformity of the moments of shiftable friction clutch systems, the individual friction clutch system comprising an adapter at the input end and at least one adapter at the output end, as well as a system for measuring the uniformity of the moments of shiftable friction clutch systems. According to the invention, the friction clutch system is inserted into a measuring apparatus encompassing at least one moment measuring device. The clutch plates that transmit the driving power in a frictionally engaged manner are pressed against each other by means of a test force. The driving motor is driven at a certain test speed. The torque of the driving motor transmitted by means of the friction clutch system is measured within a certain interval with the aid of the moment measuring device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Ritschel, Ludwig Moch, Michael Schäfer
  • Publication number: 20100162807
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a sensor arrangement (1) for a clutch device (22) comprising a housing (2) and a sensor part (5, 5?) with at least one sensor (17) for the detection of the position of a movable part (3) of the clutch device (22), wherein the housing (2) has a recess (6) for the sensor part (5, 5?), and the sensor part (5, 5?) may be fastened to a stationary part (2, 20). According to the present invention, the sensor part (5, 5?) may be positioned on the clutch device (22) from the outside through the recess (6) of the housing and detachably fastened to the stationary part (2, 20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventor: Kim FUHRER
  • Patent number: 7555942
    Abstract: In a method for checking the auto-opening function of an actuator-operated clutch, the clutch is moved out of its closed position into its open position or out of its open position into its closed position by the actuator at a predetermined constant speed. During this movement of the clutch a force/distance curve is recorded; the point of the path at which the force is minimal is determined; and the clutch is moved to the determined path point by the actuator. The actuator is deactivated; and it is checked whether following deactivation of the actuator, the clutch returns into its open position in a predetermined manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: LuK Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG
    Inventors: Markus Baehr, Juergen Gerhart, Michael Schuhen
  • Publication number: 20090145213
    Abstract: This invention is related to a test system that performs power transfer member's life, fatigue and ageing tests such as 4×4 vehicles' transfer boxes that transfer movement to the front axis or gearboxes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Inventor: Timucin Bayram
  • Publication number: 20090064774
    Abstract: In a method for referencing the position of an actuating element of a functional unit, in particular of a clutch in the drivetrain of a vehicle, the attainment of a reference position of the actuating element is assessed for plausibility in that it is checked whether a variable which can be applied to the actuating element varies in a predetermined way in a predetermined spacing of the position of the actuating element from the reference position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: Luk Lamellen und Kupplungsbau Beteiligungs KG
    Inventors: Matthias Panzer, Markus Baehr, Juergen Eich, Alexander Renfer, Joachim Hirt, Thomas Weber