Patents Assigned to GKN Automotive Limited
  • Patent number: 12289067
    Abstract: A drive arrangement comprising an electric motor can be operated. The drive arrangement comprises the electric motor, an electrical circuit for operating the electric motor, and a control device for actuating the electrical circuit; wherein the electric motor has at least one stator comprising at least three coils and a rotor comprising at least two magnetic poles; wherein the electrical circuit has at least a first potential connection and a second potential connection, which can be connected to different potentials of a DC voltage source; wherein the electrical circuit comprises three half-bridges between the potential connections, wherein each coil is electrically conductively connected to each half-bridge via a respective first connection and to the other coils via a respective second connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Tobias Gemassmer, Tobias Egbers, Nico Maurin
  • Patent number: 12289032
    Abstract: A drive assembly comprises at least an electric drive having a drive shaft, and a transmission having at least one input shaft, wherein a drive power of the electric drive can be transmitted to the input shaft via the drive shaft, and can be transmitted from the input shaft into the transmission. The drive shaft and the input shaft are coaxial to one another and are interconnected by way of a toothing that is form-fitting at least in a circumferential direction. The drive shaft and the input shaft are at least frictionally connected at least in relation to an axial direction at least via a press fit formed in each case between an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface which are parallel to an axis of rotation, or the drive shaft and the input shaft together form a form-fitting connection via a connecting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Mark Schmidt, Nikolaus Mayr, Sigmund Senoner, Ralf Mertens, Patrick Hilber
  • Patent number: 12276335
    Abstract: An electric drive arrangement for a vehicle includes a housing. The electric drive arrangement includes an electric machine with a stator connected to the housing and a rotor with a rotor shaft rotatably supported in the housing. The electric drive arrangement includes a transmission to transmit a rotary movement from the rotor shaft to drive a driveline of the vehicle. The electric drive arrangement includes a hydraulic circuit for circulating a fluid to cool and lubricate the electric machine and the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Theodor Gassmann, John Foulsham, Daniel Beeby
  • Patent number: 12264729
    Abstract: A differential gear for transmitting a torque to an axle of a motor vehicle including a differential basket, a bevel gear, first and second output shafts, and a multi-plate clutch. The bevel gear includes inner and outer circumferential surfaces. The bevel gear is supported by a contact surface of the differential basket with respect to a radial direction. The output shafts have a common rotary axis, the first output shaft forming a positive connection with the bevel gear with respect to a circumferential direction via a outer circumferential surface of the first output shaft and the inner circumferential surface of the bevel gear. The multi-plate clutch provides for selectively connecting the first output shaft with the differential basket and includes an inner plate carried by a section of the outer circumferential surface of the bevel gear and an outer plate carried by the differential basket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventor: Adrian Chludek
  • Patent number: 12253154
    Abstract: A vehicle differential includes a housing, an input gear mounted to the housing so that the housing and input gear rotate together, a pinion shaft mounted in the housing, first and second pinion gears mounted on the pinion shaft, first and second side gears within the housing and engaged with the pinion gears, and a second gear mounted to the housing so that the second gear and the housing rotate together. Part of the second gear overlaps at least part of the pinion shaft and limits movement of the pinion shaft relative to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: David E. Gall, Kevin J. Kaplan, Mark A. Heinze, Rick Ohsiek
  • Patent number: 12237109
    Abstract: A magnetic circuit element, used in combination with an adjoining core covering a solenoid having an axis, includes a plate having a soft magnetic material with a face configured to contact an axial end face of the core to form a magnetic path in combination with the core to conduct a magnetic flux. The plate forms a disk shape defining an opening around the axis and is dimensioned to extend the face from an inner periphery to an outer periphery of the axial end face of the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventor: Hideyuki Inose
  • Patent number: 12203509
    Abstract: An actuator and clutch assembly for a power transmission device includes a first and second clutch members arranged to selectively define a connected state of the clutch when the second clutch member is drivingly engaged with the first clutch member and a disconnected state of the clutch when the second clutch member is not drivingly engaged with the first clutch member. An electric motor drives an input member driven for rotation about an axis, and an output member is driven axially relative to the input member when the input member rotates, wherein the second clutch member moves axially with the output member. A spring provides a force on the output member that biases the output member in a direction in which the second clutch member is moved toward the first clutch member. The spring is radially and axially overlapped by the input member and the output member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Simon Broicher, Waldemar Rupp, Jan Haupt, Marc Absenger
  • Patent number: 12203507
    Abstract: A fluid guide assembly for a friction disk clutch comprises an inner disk carrier having a carrier portion, a shoulder portion, and a shaft portion. The carrier portion has a connecting structure for receiving inner disks in a rotationally fixed and axially movable manner; and a fluid guide element which is fixedly connected to the inner disk carrier and which comprises an annular catching portion in which inflowing fluid can be caught, and a plurality of circumferentially distributed tab portions which extend in the axial direction and which each have a radial through-opening. The inner disk carrier has, directed radially outwardly, a plurality of longitudinal grooves which extend axially from the shoulder portion into the carrier portion and which are covered by tab portions of the fluid guide element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Kurt Thomaser, Peter Raffin, Thomas Messner, Hanspeter Putzer
  • Patent number: 12173762
    Abstract: A powertrain of a vehicle can be operated. The powertrain can have at least one transmission housing, a clutch assembly which is arranged therein and which comprises a clutch that operates in a positively locking manner, and an actuation unit for actuating the clutch. The clutch comprises at least one first clutch component, which can be moved along an axial direction, and a second clutch component, said clutch components being connected together in a form-fitting manner upon actuating the clutch; wherein the actuation unit comprises an electromagnetic actuator with a piston, and the piston is moved from a starting position into an end position along the axial direction upon actuating the clutch, thereby moving the first clutch component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Thorsten Paul Maringer, Lutz Momsen, Zichao Zhou
  • Patent number: 12139118
    Abstract: A safe parking system is provided with: a torque-generating motor; a final drive including side gears drivingly coupled with the motor, a differential gear with a lock to prevent a differential motion between the side gears and an actuator for releasing the lock; an ignition key having an ON position and an OFF position; a differential-lock switch having an open position and a closed position; a switching unit for selecting whether the actuator is turned on or off; and a controller configured to, when the ignition key is detected to be in the OFF position, turn off the actuator if the differential-lock switch is in the open position, and execute no operation about the actuator if the differential-lock switch is in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Isao Hirota, Takahiro Nagaoka
  • Patent number: 12135074
    Abstract: A rotary power transmission device includes a device housing having an interior in which multiple gears are received for rotation, a clutch received within the device housing and having a clutch ring selectively engageable with one of the multiple gears, and an actuator having a coil and a plunger driven for movement along an axis and relative to the clutch ring. The plunger has a first position and a second position in which the clutch ring is engaged with one of the multiple gears. The plunger includes a first body formed at least partially from a magnetically responsive material, and includes a radially outer surface, a radially inner surface and a front face that is axially variable and arranged so that a radially outer portion of the front face is axially forward of a radially inner portion of the front face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventor: Toshiaki Komatsu
  • Patent number: 12110929
    Abstract: A rotary power transmission device includes a housing, a clutch, an actuator and a retaining body. The housing has an annular surface and an interior in which multiple components are received for rotation. The clutch is received within the housing and has a clutch ring selectively engageable with one of said multiple components. The actuator has a limit surface, a coil and a plunger driven for movement along an axis and relative to the clutch, and the plunger is received over and movable along the annular surface. The retaining body has a blocking surface radially overlapped with the limit surface and arranged to be contacted by the limit surface to prevent removal of the plunger from the annular surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventor: Toshiaki Komatsu
  • Patent number: 12085159
    Abstract: A rotary power transmission device includes a device housing, a clutch, an actuator and a retainer. The device housing has an interior in which multiple components are received for rotation. The clutch is received within the device housing and has a clutch ring selectively engageable with one of said multiple components. The actuator has a coil and a plunger driven for movement along an axis and relative to the clutch. And the retainer has a first portion that engages the device housing and a second portion that radially overlaps the coil and limits axial movement of the coil relative to the device housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventor: Toshiaki Komatsu
  • Patent number: 12077172
    Abstract: Controlling an actual slip of at least one driven axle of a motor vehicle with at least one axle having at least one wheel and a one drive unit for providing a drive torque for the axle and for the wheel can be carried out by a control device for controlling the drive unit. The control device can be configured for establishing a first actual speed of the motor vehicle; establishing a second actual speed of the at least one wheel; calculating a target speed of the at least one wheel for the established first actual speed taking into account parameters; determining an actual slip of the at least one wheel with respect to a substrate on which the motor vehicle is being moved; when the actual slip exceeds a defined first limit slip, generating a limit torque by which the drive torque produced by the drive unit is adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Gerd Kaiser, Enrique Cordero, Volker-René Ruiters, Marius Offenberg, Rudolf Fitz
  • Patent number: 12021321
    Abstract: Connector assembly for electrically connecting an inverter busbar to an electrical connector of a drive unit comprising: a carrier, an intermediate busbar comprising a first terminal with a hole, and a first fastening element extending through the hole of the first terminal, wherein the intermediate busbar is mounted to the carrier and the intermediate busbar is connectable to the inverter busbar by the first fastening element, wherein the carrier comprises a positioning pin defining a longitudinal axis, said positioning pin being adapted to be accommodated in a receptacle of a housing of the drive unit such that the carrier is axially slidable in the direction of the longitudinal axis; and that the first fastening element is arranged within the hole of the first terminal with a radial clearance relative to the longitudinal axis of the positioning pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Simon Broicher, Itziar Ureta, Mehul Parmar, Javier Munoz, Thomas Schepanowski, Aitor Tejado
  • Patent number: 12000469
    Abstract: A differential is provided with: a torque receiving casing; a differential gear set having first and second side gears to differentially distribute torque to the first and second side gears; a clutch interposed between the casing and the first side gear and configured to exert a frictional braking force on the first side gear against the casing to limit a differential motion between the first side gear and the second side gear; an actuator configured to apply a pressing force to the clutch to control the differential motion; and an electronic control unit configured to calculate a demand torque value from the input torque, compare the wheel load with a threshold value to determine a correction value, make a correction in the demand torque value by the correction value to obtain a demand value, and control an electric power supplied to the actuator in response to the demand value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Masato Hoshino, Ryuya Saito, Takahiro Nagaoka
  • Patent number: 11994174
    Abstract: A clutch assembly comprises at least one controllable friction clutch for variable torque transmission between a clutch input part and a clutch output part; a hydraulic actuator assembly for actuating the friction clutch, the actuator assembly comprising a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic chamber in which hydraulic pressure for the friction clutch is built up by the hydraulic pump and a return flow element with an orifice, via which hydraulic fluid can flow out of the hydraulic chamber into a housing reservoir when the hydraulic pump is not actuated, wherein the hydraulic fluid defines a filling level in the housing reservoir; wherein an outlet opening of the return flow element lies below the filling level of the hydraulic fluid in a inactive state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Markus Wiegandt, Eduard Kinzel
  • Patent number: 11965565
    Abstract: A system for controlling a clutch is provided with: a thrust member movable between a first position for disconnecting the clutch and a second position for connecting the clutch; a solenoid generating a magnetic flux in response to input of electric power; a movable element drivingly coupled with the thrust member and set into motion by the magnetic flux to drive the thrust member between the first position and the second position; an electric circuit configured to add alternating-current power to the electric power and apply the electric power with the alternating-current power to the solenoid; and a controller configured to detect a phase difference of an electric current relative to an electric voltage in the alternating-current power added to the electric power and compare the detected phase difference with a reference value to determine whether the thrust member is at the first position or at the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventor: Yuu Yaguchi
  • Patent number: 11938811
    Abstract: A vehicle power transfer unit assembly includes an input shaft, a shift collar, an outer cam ring, and an inner cam ring. The shift collar is engaged with the input shaft and operable between a first position and a second position. The outer cam ring is disposed around a portion of the shift collar. The outer cam ring includes an inner surface defining a plurality of levels. The inner cam ring is engaged with the shift collar and disposed radially inward from the outer cam ring. The inner cam ring includes a jaw engageable with the plurality of levels. The shift collar is moved from the first position to the second position when the jaw is moved from engagement with one of the plurality of levels to engagement with another of the plurality of levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Lei Yang, Brent Peura
  • Patent number: 11940015
    Abstract: A system for using a motor to control a power transmission device for driving a vehicle is provided with a clutch member movable bidirectionally in an axial direction; a base member prevented from rotating about an axis; a counter member axially away from and opposed to the base member, the counter member being restrained from moving in both a circumferential direction and the axial direction; an action member interposed between the base member and the counter member, movable in the axial direction, drivingly coupled with the clutch member, and coupled with the motor to create a rotational motion about the axis; and a cam slope tilting in the circumferential direction and ascending from the base member toward the counter member to convert the rotational motion into a motion of the action member in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Isao Hirota, Masato Horiguchi, Manabu Endou