Patents Examined by Bobby Rushing
  • Patent number: 11332206
    Abstract: A vehicle drivetrain for a vehicle including a transmission configured to move the vehicle with a surface engaging traction member and a final drive assembly configured to drive the surface engaging traction member. The final drive assembly includes a drive assembly coupler. A transmission coupler is operatively connected to the transmission and disposed between the transmission and the drive assembly coupler. The transmission coupler includes a first position engaged with the drive assembly coupler and a second position disengaged from the drive assembly coupler. An actuator is operatively connected to the transmission coupler and is configured to move the transmission coupler between the first position and the second position. The actuator, in one embodiment, includes a worm drive having a worm gear configured to move the transmission coupler along a longitudinal direction of the transmission. The worm gear rotates about an axis inclined with the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: ALLISON TRANSMISSION, INC.
    Inventors: Larry Boley, Rick Daugherty, James Priest, Michael R. Toole, Bruce E. Crum
  • Patent number: 11312009
    Abstract: An action robot includes a connector configured to connect a body to a movable part, a joint including a rotational body fastened to the movable part, a joint shaft provided to protrude from the rotational body, and a joint shaft supporting part provided in the connector to have a ring shape, the joint shaft being inserted into the joint shaft, a wire connected to the movable part to pull the movable part in a direction in which the joint is bent, a wire path provided in the connector, the wire path including an inlet which is disposed in the body and through which the wire passes, and a supporter disposed in the body to support the wire. An upper end of the supporter overlaps the inlet in a horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jaecheon Sa, Namjin Kim, Sanghun Kim, Youngeun Kim, Jideok Kim
  • Patent number: 11312010
    Abstract: A linear object handling structure of a robot that includes a base to be fixed to an installed surface, and a rotary barrel supported to be rotatable around a vertical rotary axis with respect to the base, and is provided with, in a region including the rotary axis, a through hole vertically penetrating through a top board of the base, and a hollow portion having a cylindrical inner surface extending inside the rotary barrel from the through hole along the rotary axis. A mechanism unit cable of the robot passes from an inside of the base to an upper part of the rotary barrel through the through hole and the hollow portion, and is fixed in the inside of the base and at the upper part of the rotary barrel while the mechanism unit cable is bent inside the hollow portion and is pressed against the inner surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoki Fujioka
  • Patent number: 11298815
    Abstract: A horizontal articulated robot includes a base, a first arm, a second arm, and a cable unit connected to the base and the second arm. The cable unit includes an arm conduit having one end connected to the second arm, and the other end attached to a first plate-shaped member fixed to an upper surface of the base, a number of cables passing through the arm conduit, a second plate-shaped member that closes a back-side opening made in the back surface of the base. The first plate-shaped member is configured to close a top surface opening made in the upper surface of the base, and the top surface opening is continuous with the back-side opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hikaru Yamashiro
  • Patent number: 11280389
    Abstract: A spindle drive comprising a threaded spindle with an external thread, a spindle nut with an internal thread that is in engagement with the external thread of the threaded spindle, characterized in that the external thread of the threaded spindle has multiple threaded areas that are separated from each other by first flattenings on their circumference extending in the longitudinal direction, and the first flattenings have guide areas that abut the core diameter of the internal thread of the spindle nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Eppendorf AG
    Inventors: Burkhardt Reichmuth, Marc Wilth, Jörg Sattler
  • Patent number: 11278365
    Abstract: An articulating structure that bends by relative movement of a plurality of segments connected in series, includes a first segment and a second segment arranged in contact with each other, wherein the first segment has a first front rolling contact surface, and the second segment has a second rear rolling contact surface in line contact with the first front rolling contact surface on a first direction contact line, the first segment has a projection protruding forward from the first front rolling contact surface, and the second segment has a coupling element recessed in the second rear rolling contact surface, wherein the projection is inserted into the coupling element, the first segment and the second segment make a relative rolling movement for translation of the first direction contact line while maintaining the line contact, and the projection supports the first segment and the second segment for the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Keri Kim, Seong Il Kwon, Jeongryul Kim
  • Patent number: 11273802
    Abstract: A parking lock in a vehicle transmission includes a locking mechanism for locking and releasing a parking interlock gear (1) and an actuating unit. The actuating unit is coupled via a coupling mechanism to the locking mechanism in order to actuate the locking mechanism between an interlock position and a release position of the parking interlock gear (1). The parking lock is arranged on an intermediate plate (2) in a housing of the vehicle transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Gert Hanker, Christian Michel
  • Patent number: 11268600
    Abstract: The method for manufacturing a linear motion guide device includes a step of forming a long member (8) having a pair of side wall parts (51) and a bottom wall part (52), a step of attaching a track body (4) to the pair of side wall parts (51) of the long member (8), and a step of cutting away a base member (5) to which the track body (4) is attached by cutting the long member (8) together with the track body (4) into a desired length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: THK CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuto Homma, Kenichi Hasebe, Kaoru Hoshide
  • Patent number: 11268608
    Abstract: A ball screw mountable on a mounting bed includes a screw shaft having a cylindrical shaft body which extends along an axis, and a helical external groove which is provided on the shaft body, a ball nut having a carrier seat which is rotatably sleeved around the shaft body and which has a carrier portion for carrying the mounting bed, and at least one reaction force sensing module attached to the carrier seat and configured to abut against the mounting bed for measuring a reaction force exerted on the mounting bed by the ball nut during displacement of the ball nut along the screw shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: Hiwin Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Yu-Hsin Lin, Chi-Ying Yen
  • Patent number: 11254018
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for transferring media from an industrial robot to a tool, and an industrial robot including the device. The device comprises a swivel adapter (1) having a body (5) including a first coupling unit (7) arranged in one end of the body for coupling the swivel adapter to the robot, and second coupling unit (9) arranged in an opposite end of the body for coupling the swivel adapter to the tool, and a distance element (13) having a lower portion (15) attached to the first coupling unit and an upper portion (17) attached to the second coupling unit, wherein the first and second coupling units are spaced apart from each other along a common central axis (C1) so that a gap (11) is formed between them. The lower portion of the distance element is disposed at a distance the periphery of the first coupling unit, and the second coupling unit is provided with a penetration hole (19) in communication with the gap (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Robotautomation Svenska AB
    Inventor: Morgan Johannesson
  • Patent number: 11248686
    Abstract: A force transmission transmits forces received by three levers to an input gimbal plate having three support points. The input gimbal play may in turn transmit the force to a wrist assembly coupled to a surgical tool. The three axes of rotation for the three levers are parallel. Two of the levers may have half-cylinder surfaces at an end of the lever to receive a support point of the input gimbal plate. Two of the levers may be supported with one degree of rotational freedom orthogonal to the axis of rotation of the fulcrum. A spring may draw the second and third levers toward one another. Two levers may have stops that bear against the support points. The force transmission may include a parallelogram linkage that includes a rocker link pivotally coupled to the first lever and having a flat surface that supports the first gimbal support point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas G. Cooper, S. Christopher Anderson
  • Patent number: 11230002
    Abstract: A robot includes: a base; a swivel body supported rotatable about a first axis; a first arm supported rotatable about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; a second arm supported rotatable about a third axis parallel to the second axis; and a first wrist element supported rotatable about a fourth axis perpendicular to the third axis and disposed in a same plane as the first axis. A first hollow section penetrating along the first axis is provided in the base and the swivel body; a second hollow section penetrating along the fourth axis is provided in the first wrist element; the first and second arms have shapes allowing a linear object having passed through the first hollow section to be guided to the second hollow section via a space extending along a line connecting intersections of the first and second axes and the third and fourth axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshihiko Inoue, Tomoyuki Motokado, Tooru Nagai
  • Patent number: 11226033
    Abstract: A shift range control device switches a shift range by controlling the driving operation of a motor in a shift range switching system. The shift range control device includes a drive control unit, a stop control unit, and a return control unit. The drive control unit drives the motor so that an engagement member engages in one of recess portions corresponding to a requested shift range. The stop control unit stops the motor at a target position corresponding to the requested shift range. When the requested shift range corresponds to one of both ends of multiple recess portions, the return control unit returns the rotation position of the motor after the motor stops at the target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shigeru Kamio
  • Patent number: 11223125
    Abstract: A portable radar system comprising: a base; a mount connected to the base; a radar antenna pivotally attached to the mount; and a linear actuator pivotally connected between a portion of the base and the radar antenna, the linear actuator comprising a base containing an extendable column, which when deployed is substantially cylindrical, having a corrugated outer wall, and which is configured to raise and lower the radar antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Richard R. Hall, Stanley M. Granat
  • Patent number: 11220011
    Abstract: Provided is a multi-jointed welding robot that includes: a rotating part that is rotatably provided on a base that is fixed to an installation surface; and a multi-jointed arm that is coupled to the rotating part via a first driving shaft and has a plurality of arm parts. An opening is formed in the rotating part through which a routing member, which is routed inside the rotating part, is guided from part of the rotating part toward the side opposite the installation surface. A guide member guides the routing member, which has one end fixed to the opening and which is guided through the opening, toward the installation surface from the other end of the routing member while bending the routing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuharu Sakurai, Yuki Shika, Motoaki Murakami, Taichi Igarashi, Tatsuji Minato
  • Patent number: 11220330
    Abstract: A mechanical system for transmitting rotary motion between firstly at least one inlet wheel driven in rotation by at least one engine, each inlet wheel being suitable for being driven in rotation by a corresponding dedicated engine, and secondly at least two distinct driven shafts of an accessory box, the at least one engine serving to drive rotation of one of the at least two driven shafts in isolation, or to drive the at least two driven shafts simultaneously, jointly with at least one aircraft rotor, the mechanical system including a selective rotary drive member that is movable axially between two distinct drive positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
    Inventor: Olivier De Meerschman
  • Patent number: 11203114
    Abstract: A manipulator includes an elongated portion; a bending portion coupled to a distal end of the elongated portion, the bending portion being formed by articulating a plurality of segment pieces; an end effector coupled to a distal end of the bending portion; an actuator coupled to a proximal end of the elongated portion; a first wire coupled to between the actuator and the end effector, the first wire being configured to actuate the end effector; and a second wire coupled to between the actuator and the bending portion, the second wire being configured to actuate the bending portion. Each of the plurality of segment pieces is configured to be articulated so as to be twisted with respect to a longitudinal central axis of the bending portion, and the first wire is configured to be inserted into the plurality of segment pieces so as to form a substantially twisted path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuki Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 11193566
    Abstract: An actuator includes a threaded spindle and an internally threaded component screwed onto the threaded spindle. The component includes a plastic element having a first axial end and a second axial end and an interior having a width and a radially inwardly projecting flange at the first axial end, and the flange has an inner diameter less than the width of the interior. A metal element, such as a nut, is fixedly mounted in the interior of the plastic element, and the internal thread of the nut has a maximum diameter greater than the inner diameter of the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKF
    Inventors: Manuel Doppler, Emmanuel Eyraud, Marcel Soltermann
  • Patent number: 11167409
    Abstract: An action robot may include a main body, at least one joint, and at least one limb configured to be rotatably connected to the main body via the joint. The joint may be configured to provide elastic force in a direction in which the limb is unfolded or pulled away from the main body and a wire connected to the limb to pull the limb in a direction in which the limb is folded or pulled toward the main body. The wire may be connected to an elevation rod provided inside the main body. A drive assembly may be provided outside the main body and be configured to lift the elevation rod. A rod spring may be provided and configured to provide a downward elastic force to the elevation rod. A wire support provided within the main body may be configured to support the wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Wonhee Lee, Sanghun Kim, Seungmin Baek
  • Patent number: 11168777
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a crankshaft gear operatively coupled to an engine. An auxiliary gear is operatively coupled to the engine. An idler gear is operatively coupled to the engine, and is in meshed engagement with each of the crankshaft gear and the auxiliary gear. A ring dowel is fixedly coupled to an engine block. An idler hub has an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface is fixedly coupled to the ring dowel and the idler gear is rotatably coupled to the outer surface. The idler hub is eccentrically-shaped so that an idler gear centerline is offset from a ring dowel centerline so as to reduce a crankshaft backlash between the crankshaft gear and the idler gear relative to a nominal crankshaft backlash, and so as to substantially maintain an auxiliary backlash between the auxiliary gear and the idler gear relative to a nominal auxiliary backlash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Cummins Inc.
    Inventors: Kwin Abram, David J. Moenssen