Patents Examined by Colby M. Hansen
  • Patent number: 12044304
    Abstract: Systems for a differential are provided. The differential includes two sets of pinion gears with an asymmetric split tooth profile. A case of the differential includes a plurality of lubrication ports which open adjacent to untoothed sections of one set of pinion gears and in a drive mode and an outboard axial load is exerted on the corresponding set of pinion gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: DANA HEAVY VEHICLE SYSTEMS GROUP, LLC
    Inventors: Brian V. Knapke, Ned W. Wright
  • Patent number: 12038075
    Abstract: A gear-hydraulic-rhombic pyramid integrated multi-mode hybrid transmission device includes an input assembly, a hydraulic transmission mechanism, a front planetary gear mechanism, a rhombic pyramid-type continuously variable transmission mechanism, a rear planetary gear mechanism, an output assembly, a clutch assembly, and a brake assembly. The clutch assembly connects an output end of the input assembly to an input end of the hydraulic transmission mechanism and an input end of the front planetary gear mechanism. The clutch assembly connects an output end of the hydraulic transmission mechanism to the front planetary gear mechanism and the rear planetary gear mechanism. The clutch assembly connects the front planetary gear mechanism, the rhombic pyramid-type continuously variable transmission mechanism, the rear planetary gear mechanism, and the output assembly in sequence. The clutch assembly and the brake assembly provide a continuous transmission ratio between the input assembly and the output assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: JIANGSU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Zhen Zhu, Lingxin Zeng, Yingfeng Cai, Long Chen, Yulin Deng, Xiaodong Sun, Xiang Tian, Yong Wang, Falin Zeng, Chaofeng Pan
  • Patent number: 12038059
    Abstract: A power transmission device includes a flywheel, a torque limiter unit, and a damper unit. The torque limiter unit includes first and second side plates and a friction plate. The first side plate is attached to the flywheel. The first side plate is disposed on a first axial side to the flywheel. The friction plate is disposed axially between the first side plate and the second side plate. The damper unit includes input rotational bodies, an output plate, and an elastic member. The output plate is disposed axially between the first side plate and the flywheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: EXEDY Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Hagihara
  • Patent number: 12038083
    Abstract: An axle assembly having a differential carrier, a differential assembly, and a lubricant deflector. The differential assembly is mounted to the differential carrier and is rotatable about a differential axis. The lubricant deflector is mounted to the differential carrier and directs lubricant that is splashed or sprayed by a ring gear of the differential assembly into a lubricant passage of the differential carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Dhanapal Vittala Raya, Mark Smith, Kristen G. Byrd
  • Patent number: 12025217
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes: (a) a shift control portion for controlling switching of a power transmission apparatus between a parking position and a non-parking position; (b) a fail-safe portion for executing a fail-safe operation for inhibiting an electric actuator from being re-driven, when detecting an abnormality of the electric actuator; (c) a power-supply control portion for switching a supplier of an electric power to the electric actuator, from a first power supply to a second power supply, in case of determining a power supply failure of the first power supply; and (d) an abnormality-detection stop portion configured, in case of occurrence of a power-supply failure state of the first power supply during the switching from the non-parking position to the parking position, to stop the fail-safe portion from detecting the abnormality of the electric actuator, until the electric power supplier has been switched to the second power supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Yamauchi, Takashi Yuma, Hiroshi Shibata, Kenyu Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11988272
    Abstract: A planetary transmission includes a transfer device for transferring a supply medium. First and second transmission parts rotate relative to one another, with the transfer device having an annular groove on a surface of the first transmission part or of the second transmission part. The transfer device has bores distributed over a periphery. The first transmission part includes a separate bush which points towards the second transmission part and has a sealing groove with a sealing ring axially on both sides of the annular groove. The bush is arranged rotationally fixed on a rest of the first transmission part and designed to float in an axial direction with sufficient play in order to tilt out of a coaxial relative position with respect to the first transmission part and/or to the second transmission part to the extent of a relative movability of the respective sealing ring within the associated sealing groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Flender GmbH
    Inventors: Florian Hitpass, Carolin Telaar
  • Patent number: 11933398
    Abstract: Two-speed transmission apparatus for electric vehicle comprises a planetary gear mechanism 16, friction brake 28 and friction clutch 26 in coaxial arrangement between input axis 10 and output axis 12, first speed is obtained by fastening the friction brake 28 and one-on-one second speed is obtained by fastening friction clutch 26. The electric actuator 30 to switch first speed and second speed comprises electric motor 32, a torque-thrust converting mechanism 36 and pusher 34. The torque-thrust converting mechanism 36 comprises inside cylindrical screw 40 being rotated by control motor 32 and outside cylindrical nut 42 which is screwed with cylindrical screw 40 and is connected to pusher 34 so as to integrally axis-move. The control motor 32 may include an electromagnetic brake to fasten the friction brake 28 and the friction clutch 26. Thrust of the axial direction may be transmitted by the swing of an arm 316.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: UNIPRES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akimasa Mori, Hiroaki Ono
  • Patent number: 11933385
    Abstract: A nutation reducer includes: a case, two pairs of nutation gear pairs, each pair being disposed in the case and composed of a nutation gear and non-nutation gear in engagement, and the non-nutation gear being fixed in the case or integrated formed in the case; an output shaft, rotationally disposed in the case; two annular spring films, each nutation gear of the gear pair is connected to the output shaft through one annular spring film; a nutation generating mechanism disposed in the case, two nutation gear pairs being respectively disposed on both sides of the nutation generating mechanism. Power-split arrangement is applied in this application, symmetric layout of the nutation gear pairs is adopted. In this way, the working efficiency of the reducer is obviously improved, meanwhile the volume and weight of the reducer, and the heat generated in working process are reduced, and power density is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Inventor: Hong Jiang
  • Patent number: 11926300
    Abstract: An adaptive brake control system for use in Ground Support Equipment (GSE) including a speed control system. The adaptive brake control system includes a distance sensor adapted to measure a distance from an edge of the GSE to an external object and a speed senor adapted to measure a ground speed of the GSE. An actuator, such as a brake actuator, is adapted to cause the speed control system of the GSE to slow or stop the GSE. A controller is functionally associated with the distance sensor, the speed sensor, and the actuator. The controller is adapted to receive inputs from the distance sensor and the speed sensor, and, based on the received inputs, to trigger the actuator to affect slowing or stopping of the GSE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignees: ZIV AV ENGINEERING LTD., TRI-LOGICAL TECHNOLOGIES LTD
    Inventors: Dvir Brand, Gavriel Hai Yaniv
  • Patent number: 11927262
    Abstract: Lubrication device for a turbomachine reduction gear, the device comprising an annular lubricating oil collecting cup delimited by a first wall and a second wall, said cup being divided by internal walls extending between the first wall and the second wall so as to define a plurality of angular sectors forming oil collection basins, the basins being circumferentially adjacent around the axis and comprising lubricating oil outlets, characterized in that one or more of said internal walls have openings allowing oil to pass between the circumferentially adjacent basins, characterized in that said openings (58) are formed in one or more of said internal walls so as to define one or more rows of openings in said one or more internal walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Bálint Pap, Patrice Jocelyn Francis Gedin, Antoine Jacques Marie Pennacino
  • Patent number: 11920646
    Abstract: A method for operating a friction-locking shift element of a transmission of a motor vehicle includes actuating the friction-locking shift element for engagement according to a pressure versus torque characteristic curve. The pressure versus torque characteristic curve has a first characteristic point (a touch point) and a second characteristic point (a contact point), defines a first characteristic curve range between the touch point and the contact point having a first functional dependence, and defines a second characteristic curve range at or after the contact point having a second functional dependence. Once the touch point is reached, the friction-locking shift element begins to transmit torque mainly due to drag torques. Whereas, once the contact point is reached, the friction-locking shift element begins to transmit torque mainly due to friction between shift-element halves of the friction-locking shift element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Philipp Kölbl, Michael Miller, Jonas Knör
  • Patent number: 11912125
    Abstract: A drive apparatus for vehicle comprising a first power source, a first output rotating member, a second output rotating member, a second power source, a differential device, a first engagement device, a second engagement device, and a control device. The control device establishes, as drive modes driving a vehicle, a first drive mode controlling a torque distribution ratio between front wheels and rear wheels by putting the vehicle in all-wheel drive state by power from the second power source while controlling the first engagement device to be in slip state with the second engagement device kept in engaged state, and a second drive mode putting the vehicle in all-wheel drive state by power from the first power source while fixing the torque distribution ratio with both the first engagement device and the second engagement device kept in engaged state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keisuke Omuro, Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Yohei Habata
  • Patent number: 11906017
    Abstract: The torque transfer assembly can have a torque shaft rotatable around a rotation axis, the torque shaft having a first end and a second end opposite the first end along the rotation axis, a first reference feature at an intermediary location between the first end and the second end, and a sun gear integrated to the torque shaft, at the first end, the second end has a first external diameter, and the sun gear having a second external diameter greater than the first external diameter; and a reference tube having a fixed end secured to the torque shaft adjacent the second end, a free end having a second reference feature adjacent the first reference feature, the reference tube extending around the torque shaft, the reference tube having an internal diameter, the internal diameter being between the first external diameter and the second external diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Eric Sylvain Durocher
  • Patent number: 11906045
    Abstract: A control device switches a shift range by driving a motor and moving a detent roller in a parking lock system including an electric actuator having the motor and a detent mechanism. A control unit of the control device includes a drive control part, a position determination part and a range determination part. The drive control part controls driving of the motor. When the detent roller is moved to a target valley portion corresponding to the target range, a position determination part determines that the detent roller has passed over a peak portion based on sensor information. The range determination part is configured to estimate that the detent roller has reached the range of the target range corresponding to the target range at a peak passing over determination timing when it is determined that the detent roller has passed over the peak portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoko Tanemura, Seiji Nakayama, Akihiro Harada, Haruka Miyano
  • Patent number: 11906022
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and a dual-clutch transmission (DCT) operatively connected to the CVT, the DCT includes a clutch input member operatively connected to a driven pulley of the CVT to be driven thereby; a first clutch; a second clutch; a first shaft operatively connected to the first clutch, the first clutch being selectively actuated to couple the first shaft to the clutch input member; a second shaft operatively connected to the second clutch, the second clutch being selectively actuated to couple the second shaft to the clutch input member; at least one first driving member mounted to the first shaft; at least one second driving member mounted to the second shaft; and an output shaft operatively connecting the at least one first driving member and the at least one second driving member to at least one ground-engaging member of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS INC.
    Inventors: Jean-Sebastien Pard, Louis Lepitre
  • Patent number: 11904696
    Abstract: Power is transmitted between the input shaft and the rotor shaft by the sun gear and the gear meshing. This eliminates the need for bearings to receive radial loads. Further, a thrust bearing disposed between the one axial end surface of the sun gear and the input shaft, and a second ball bearing abutting the other axial end surface of the sun gear are provided. This eliminates the need for a bearing for receiving a thrust load of the sun gear. A terminal block is arranged in a space opposite to the planetary gear device with respect to the electric motor caused by the reduction of the bearing. Therefore, it is possible to dispose the terminal block while suppressing or avoiding the increase in the size of the vehicle drive device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hyuk Soo Kwon, Ayako Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 11898630
    Abstract: A rotating electrical machine and an input member are placed on a first axis, a counter gear mechanism is placed on a second axis, and a differential gear mechanism is placed on a third axis. The input member, the counter gear mechanism, and the differential gear mechanism have portions placed on an axial first side with respect to the rotating electrical machine. A pump portion is placed on the opposite side of an imaginary plane passing through the first axis and the third axis from the second axis, and is placed at a location that overlaps at least one of the rotating electrical machine and the differential gear mechanism in an axial view. The pump portion is placed on the axial first side with respect to the rotating electrical machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryohei Inoue
  • Patent number: 11893521
    Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating aerial vehicle services are provided. A service entity system can obtain multi-modal transportation services data indicative of a plurality of anticipated aerial transportation service. The service entity system can obtain vehicle attributes associated vehicle(s) of an aerial vehicle provider and determine an expected performance of the vehicle(s) based on the vehicle attributes and the anticipated aerial transportation services. The service entity system can generate an aerial vehicle service request that requests access to the vehicle(s) for providing aerial transportation services for the service entity based on the expected performance of the vehicle(s). A vehicle provider system can obtain a number of different aerial vehicle service requests from a number of different service entities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: JOBY AERO, INC.
    Inventors: Adam Warmoth, Christopher Hill Courtney, Ian Andreas Villa
  • Patent number: 11885409
    Abstract: Systems and methods for an interaxle differential (IAD). In one example, the IAD comprises a locking assembly that includes a friction clutch, the friction clutch includes a clutch pack that comprises plurality of plates configured to engage and disengage to inhibit and permit speed differentiation between a first axle differential and a second axle differential. The IAD further includes a supply lubrication passage that comprises an inlet that receives a lubricant from an enclosure surrounding an input gear of an axle differential and a first outlet flowing the lubricant to a gear coupled to the clutch pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: DANA HEAVY VEHICLE SYSTEMS GROUP, LLC
    Inventors: Brian V. Knapke, Patrick F. Rose, Atul Jagannath Patil
  • Patent number: 11879529
    Abstract: A two-speed gearbox assembly for an electric drive vehicle includes a housing, a first planetary gear set configured to operably connect to an output of an electric motor to drive a first axle, the first planetary gear set including a first sun gear, a first carrier, and a first ring gear, a first clutch configured to selectively ground the first ring gear, and a second clutch configured to selectively ground the first carrier. A second planetary gear set is configured to operably connect to the output of the electric motor to drive a second axle, the second planetary gear set including a second sun gear, a second carrier, and a second ring gear. A third clutch is configured to selectively ground the second ring gear, and a fourth clutch is configured to selectively ground the second carrier. The first, second, third, and fourth clutches are independently controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventor: Richard S Silbert