Patents Examined by David D. Le
  • Patent number: 8914203
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle belt type continuously variable transmission includes primary and secondary pulleys around which a belt is wound so as to generate a belt clamping force according to an input torque by controlling a secondary hydraulic pressure. The device includes a belt slip controller performing belt slip control by oscillating the secondary hydraulic pressure and extracting an oscillation component when a change speed of the input torque is less than a predetermined value. The device further includes a limit determining control unit determining whether to limit acceleration, and an input torque change speed limiter control unit limiting the change speed to less than the predetermined value when the limit determining unit makes a determination to limit acceleration. The belt slip controller permits belt slip control while the input torque change speed limiter control unit limits the change speed to less than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignees: Jatco Ltd, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Kodama, Yasuaki Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 8914204
    Abstract: A control device includes a belt slip controller, a limiting determining control unit, and a transmission speed limiter. The device controls a vehicle belt type continuously variable transmission including a primary pulley and a secondary pulley so as to control a gear ratio by controlling a primary hydraulic pressure and a secondary hydraulic pressure. The controller oscillates the secondary hydraulic pressure, extracts an oscillation component of an actual gear ratio when a transmission speed is less than a predetermined value, and controls the secondary hydraulic pressure based on a phase difference between oscillation components. The determining control unit determines whether to limit acceleration, and the limiter limits a transmission speed to less than the predetermined value when the determining control unit makes a determination to limit the acceleration. The controller permits belt slip control while the limiter limits the transmission speed to less than the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignees: Jatco Ltd, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Kodama, Yasuaki Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 8900087
    Abstract: An inline automatic bicycle transmission, containing a planetary gear train, wherein gear selection is done by operation of a centrifugal governor. As the speed of the bicycle increases the transmission will automatically shift into a high gear ratio and the reverse occurs as the bicycle speed decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Inventor: Francis Daly Ward
  • Patent number: 8894527
    Abstract: A power transmission system of a hybrid electric vehicle may include an input shaft receiving engine torque, a first planetary gear set disposed on the input shaft, and including a first sun gear selectively connected to a transmission housing, a first ring gear, and a first planet carrier directly connected to the input shaft, a second planetary gear set disposed on the input shaft, and including a second sun gear, a second ring gear directly connected to the first ring gear and directly connected to an output gear, and a second planet carrier selectively connected to the first planet carrier and selectively connected to the transmission housing, a first motor/generator directly connected to the first sun gear, and a second motor/generator directly connected to the second sun gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Woulsun Choi, Jae Young Choi, Seok Joon Kim
  • Patent number: 8892318
    Abstract: A control device controls a belt type continuously variable transmission including a primary pulley, a secondary pulley, and a belt, and controls a gear ratio based on a primary oil pressure and a secondary oil pressure. The control device includes a belt slip controller which oscillates the secondary oil pressure and monitors a phase difference between an oscillation component included in an actual secondary oil pressure and an oscillation component included in an actual gear ratio to estimate a belt slip state. The controller controls the actual secondary oil pressure to decrease based on the estimation to maintain a predetermined belt slip state. An oscillation amplitude setter sets an oscillation amplitude of the secondary hydraulic pressure small when the gear ratio is high compared with when the gear ratio is low, in a case of oscillating the secondary hydraulic pressure in the belt slip control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignees: Jatco Ltd, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsumi Doihara, Yoshihisa Kodama, Yasuaki Yoshikawa, Masahiro Nishi, Keisuke Koyama, Kenta Nakamura, Kiyotaka Sawano, Hidemasa Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 8886429
    Abstract: An oil pressure control device includes: line pressure adjusting means for adjusting the line pressure; line pressure switching means for switching, in two stages, the line pressure adjusted by the line pressure adjusting means; a linear solenoid valve that adjusts a required oil pressure for engaging frictional engagement elements with one another by engagement force, which is required thereby, by adjusting a pressure of hydraulic oil with the line pressure; and control means for controlling a value of a current supplied to the linear solenoid valve. The control means performs control to differentiate the value of the current, which is supplied to the linear solenoid valve in order to adjust (obtain) the same required oil pressure, in response to the line pressure switched by the line pressure switching means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Motozawa, Hideyuki Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 8886427
    Abstract: A hydraulic control apparatus for an automatic transmission has a circulating oil supply passage that supplies circulating oil to a starting apparatus, a circulating oil discharge passage that discharges circulating oil from the starting apparatus, and a speed change mechanism oil supply passage that supplies oil to a speed change mechanism. The oil discharged from an oil pump is supplied to the starting apparatus and the speed change mechanism. A first flow rate changing device that can change the flow rate of the circulating oil is arranged in the circulating oil discharge passage. A first flow rate instructing portion output a command to the flow rate changing device to change the flow rate when the amount of oil discharged from the oil pump is low, and reduces the flow rate to the starting apparatus, which enables the hydraulic pressure necessary for shifting to be obtained in the speed change mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Shimizu, Kenichi Tsuchida, Yoshimitsu Hyodo, Kazunori Ishikawa, Hironori Sugiura, Satoshi Nishio, Kazuki Kojima
  • Patent number: 8886420
    Abstract: A control method for an automatic transmission includes a step of canceling the shift performed by a shift operation for performing shifting in the same direction as that of the shifting performed by automatic shift control, when the shift operation is performed before the input revolution speed correlation value of the automatic transmission becomes a predetermined value, after the automatic shift control has been started in a manual shift mode, a step of switching a shift stage display at a timing at which the shift operation that is to be canceled has been performed, and a step of switching the shift stage display at a timing at which the input revolution speed correlation value becomes the predetermined value when a shift operation is not performed within a period of time from when the automatic shift control is started till when the input revolution speed correlation value becomes the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsutaka Shibata, Kosuke Takegawa, Nobuyuki Sakata, Kazuo Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8869964
    Abstract: The invention provides a system, device and method for using a rotary actuator, e.g., a stepper motor to actuate a wrap spring clutch. Feedback from a system of sensors and GPS data, including rotational speed, travel speed and direction are provided to improve the reaction accuracy of the clutch. In one embodiment, a plurality of actuator controllers are connected in a configuration wherein one controller is a “master” and the remaining controllers are “slaves” to provide a higher level of machine control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Raven Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Alan F. Barry
  • Patent number: 8870702
    Abstract: A power switching device for vehicle has an engaging mechanism for connecting and disconnecting between a pair of rotating members arranged on a driving force transmission passage, an operating mechanism for switch-operating the engaging mechanism, an electric actuator, and a waiting mechanism having an elastic member. The elastic member is incorporated into the waiting mechanism so that the elastic member can temporarily accumulate the operating power only when the engaging mechanism is switched to the engaged condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideaki Kii, Seiji Itoo, Ayumi Hamada
  • Patent number: 8864625
    Abstract: Disclosed is a controller of a stepped automatic transmission. The stepped automatic transmission has a plurality of lock-up elements and performs downshift during coasting while an engine has a fuel cut-off state by changing over a pair of lock-up elements including an open side lock-up element and a lock-up side lock-up element. Downshift operation includes torque phase control and inertia phase control. The controller includes: a fuel cut-off recovery executing unit that is configured to perform recovery from the fuel cut-off state for an inertia phase control period; and a cylinder number restricting unit that is configured to restrict a count of cylinders recovered from the fuel cut-off state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Honma, Masahiro Iriyama
  • Patent number: 8858385
    Abstract: A selectively locked differential has a locked configuration in which both side gears are independently locked to the differential casing so that torque is not transmitted through the pinion gears. The locking of the side gears is accomplished by generally cylindrical, ring-shaped structures with castellations on one axial end surface of each structure. These castellations selectively interfit with rotatably fixed castellations of secondary structures fixed to the differential casing, such that the ring-shaped structures define a mechanically interconnected, zero-slip arrangement with respect to the rotationally fixed secondary structures when the differential is in the locked configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Auburn Gear, Inc.
    Inventors: James L. Forrest, Dan M. Metzger, John T. Fortman, Joseph A. Beals, Aaron J. Binegar
  • Patent number: 8839930
    Abstract: A device for controlling a rotating shifting element of an automatic transmission for a start/stop operation. The shifting element is actuated by an axially moving piston which is biased, in a disengaging direction, by a spring and biased, in an engaging direction, by hydraulic pressure supplied to a pressure space. At least one spring-loaded latch, which is able to move in the radial direction, is arranged in the pressure space. The spring-loaded latch, when the combustion engine is operating, rotates with the piston and acts upon the piston such that if the engine stops, the previously engaged shifting element is locked by spring force and, as the pressure decreases, the shifting element disengages, at most only slightly, and when the engine is re-started, the locking action is again released by centrifugal force, in opposition to the spring force, so that the piston remains engaged during the hydraulic pressure build-up in the pressure chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen
    Inventor: Horst Rogner
  • Patent number: 8843287
    Abstract: A belt type continuously variable transmission mechanism has a primary pulley, a secondary pulley, and a belt, and a secondary hydraulic pressure controller to determine command secondary hydraulic pressure by feedback control based on the deviation between target secondary hydraulic pressure and actual hydraulic pressure, and control the secondary hydraulic pressure to the secondary pulley. The belt type continuously variable transmission mechanism further includes a belt slip control device to estimate a belt slip condition by monitoring the phase difference between an oscillation component included in the actual secondary hydraulic pressure and an oscillation component included in the actual transmission gear ratio and control the actual secondary hydraulic pressure to decrease based on the estimation so that a predetermined belt slip condition is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignees: Jatco Ltd, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsumi Doihara, Yoshihisa Kodama, Yasuaki Yoshikawa, Masahiro Nishi, Keisuke Koyama, Kenta Nakamura, Kiyotaka Sawano, Hidemasa Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 8833536
    Abstract: A ratchet mechanism of a bicycle hub includes a ring fixed in the hub. The ring has a tapered surface and a flange is formed in the inner periphery of the ring. A driving unit is located in the hub and has multiple first ratchet teeth extending axially therefrom. A passive unit is located in the tapered surface and corresponding to the driving unit. The passive unit has a passive seat which has a tapered outer face matched with the tapered surface. The passive seat further has a stop portion which is stopped by the flange in one direction. The passive seat has multiple second ratchet teeth engaged with the first ratchet teeth. A magnetic unit is located between the hub and the passive set, and two magnetic members which are magnetically repulsive to each other so as to linearly move the passive seat toward the driving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Kunshan Henry Metal Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kee Ping Tho
  • Patent number: 8821347
    Abstract: A vehicle control device includes: an erroneous operation determination unit that determines whether erroneous operation of an accelerator pedal is performed; an increase suppression unit that suppresses an increase in driving force of a vehicle in response to the erroneous operation of the accelerator pedal; a position measuring unit that measures the depressed position of a brake pedal; a tendency determination unit that determines a deviation tendency of the depressed position of the brake pedal; and a suppression amount varying unit that varies a suppression amount of the increase in the driving force on the basis of the deviation tendency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshinao Fukui
  • Patent number: 8807310
    Abstract: A fluid transmission apparatus including a pump impeller that is connected to an input member coupled to a motor; a turbine runner that is rotatable together with the pump impeller; a damper mechanism that includes an input element, an intermediate element engaged with the input element via a first elastic body and an output element engaged with the intermediate element via a second elastic body; a lock-up clutch mechanism; a dynamic damper that includes a mass body and a third elastic body engaged with the mass body; and a centrifugal pendulum vibration absorber that includes a support member and a plurality of mass bodies each oscillatable with respect to the support member. The third elastic body of the dynamic damper is engaged with one of the intermediate element and the output element. The centrifugal pendulum vibration absorber's support member is connected to the intermediate element or the output element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Takikawa, Kazuto Maruyama, Kazuhiro Itou
  • Patent number: 8807312
    Abstract: A hydraulic actuating pin system is disclosed with an actuating pin, clutch drum, spring and hydraulics. The clutch drum has a scalloped annulus with raised and lowered sections. The spring pushes the pin towards the scalloped annulus. When the pin extends into the lowered section, it prevents the clutch drum from rotating. The hydraulics can compress the spring and extract the pin to allow the clutch drum to rotate. The proximal end of the pin can include a head, and hydraulic pressure can move the head to compress the spring. When the pin is fully extended into the lowered section, the end of the pin can not touch the bottom of the lowered section. The hydraulics can include a one-way valve allowing flow from a pump source to the pin, and a pressure release orifice allowing controlled release of hydraulic pressure from the pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Buttjer, Duane F. Meyer
  • Patent number: 8801573
    Abstract: A power transmitting apparatus for a vehicle mounted with a torque converter and an idle-stop mechanism can be configured to improve fuel economy without cancelling a fuel-cut-off during vehicle speed reduction and to reduce the manufacturing cost by eliminating an electrically-driven oil pump. A power transmitting apparatus can comprise a torque converter, a clutch mechanism, an oil pump, a continuously variable transmission, a clutch control device, an engine control device, and a flow control device. The flow control device can be configured to limit or prevent the supply of oil to the torque converter by the oil pump and to prioritize the supply of oil to the clutch mechanism and the continuously variable transmission when the vehicle speed is reduced below a predetermined value with fuel being cut off by the engine control device during vehicle speed reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha F.C.C.
    Inventors: Tatsuyuki Ohashi, Shouji Asatsuke, Akio Oishi, Ryouhei Chiba, Jun Ishimura, Keiichi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8801572
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a transmission system is provided. One agricultural vehicle includes a vehicle controller configured to instruct an engine controller to maintain an engine at a constant speed and to receive a first signal from a transmission controller indicative of gear shift initiation. The vehicle controller is also configured to instruct the engine controller to maintain the engine at a current torque upon receipt of the first signal and to receive a second signal from the transmission controller indicative of gear shift completion. The vehicle controller is configured to instruct the engine controller to maintain the engine at the constant speed upon receipt of the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Justin Ringwald, Rex LeRoy Ruppert