Patents Examined by David J Hlavka
  • Patent number: 11598403
    Abstract: In an aspect, an isolation device is provided for a belt and a component shaft in an engine. The device includes a hub, a pulley, an isolation spring and a damping member that is fixed rotationally relative to the hub and is engageable frictionally with the pulley. Torque transmission through the spring below a selected non-zero torque, irrespective of hub load on the pulley, drives a change in radius of the helical coils of the spring that is sufficiently small that the spring avoids pressing the damping member against the pulley. Torque transmission through the spring above the selected non-zero torque, irrespective of hub load on the pulley, drives a change in radius of the helical coils that is sufficiently large that the isolation spring applies a radial force to press the damping member against the pulley so as to generate frictional damping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: LITENS AUTOMOTIVE PARTNERSHIP
    Inventors: Warren J. Williams, Marek Frankowski, Jun Xu
  • Patent number: 11554655
    Abstract: An engine-and-electric-machine assembly includes an engine and an electric machine, a crankshaft being provided in the engine, the crankshaft including a main body and an extension section that extends out to the exterior of the engine, the extension section forming a rotation shaft of the electric machine, a rotor of the electric machine being mounted on the extension section, and a transition section being provided between the main body of the crankshaft and the extension section, wherein the rotor of the electric machine is connected to the transition section via a flange structure. By connecting the rotor of the electric machine and the crankshaft of the engine by using a flange, instead of using a key connecting structure, the strength of the connection between the rotor and the crankshaft can be improved, and optimize the moment of inertia of the transmission structure between the rotor and the crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: JING-JIN ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xinliang Ling, Zhicheng Guo, Yao Zhou, Ping Yu
  • Patent number: 11548366
    Abstract: A vehicle drive apparatus includes: a first bearing disposed between a rotor support member and a case in a radial direction so as to restrict movement of the rotor support member to a first axial side relative to the case; and a second bearing disposed between a connecting shaft and the case in an axial direction so as to restrict movement of the connecting shaft to a second axial side relative to the case. A fluid transmission device is disposed on the first axial side relative to the connecting shaft. The rotor support member includes a tubular portion having a tubular shape extending in the axial direction and fitted to an outer peripheral surface of the connecting shaft. Movement of the connecting shaft to the first axial side relative to the tubular portion is restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignees: AISIN CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shigeki Ideue, Takeru Morita, Keita Inda, Kenji Dozono, Tatsuya Okishima, Toshihiko Kamiya, Masashi Ikemura
  • Patent number: 11549558
    Abstract: An isolator decoupler comprising a shaft, a pulley journalled to the shaft, a one-way clutch engaged with the shaft, a spring carrier engaged with the one-way clutch, the spring carrier having a spring carrier surface, a torsion spring having a first end laser welded to the pulley and a second end laser welded to the spring carrier, the torsion spring having a volute with a width w, an annular spring support member having a spring support member outside surface, the annular spring support member independently moveable from the spring carrier and independently moveable from the shaft, a gap g between the annular spring support member and the spring carrier, the gap g being less than the width w, the first end comprising a first end coil, the first end coil bearing upon the spring support member outside surface, the first end coil laser welded to the spring support member outside surface, a torsion spring radial contraction limited by engagement with the spring carrier surface, and the gap g and the width w hav
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Gates Corporation
    Inventors: Peter Ward, Xiaohua Joe Chen, Charles M. Sendegeya, Alexander Serkh, Yahya Hodjat, Essie Rahdar, Wanzhi Han
  • Patent number: 11548360
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an electric axle assembly having dual motors and dual disconnects allowing for selectably disconnecting either one of the motors so that either motor may operate as the primary drive motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Dana Heavy Vehicle Systems Group, LLC
    Inventors: Jordan M. Houser, Darren J. Ziskovsky
  • Patent number: 11541741
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of electromechanical equipment for use in the vehicular field. More specifically, it relates to a selector, doser and transmitter of torque and power between one or more engines and one or more final transmission shafts. Applied for example on a vehicle without a gearbox, the new mechanism allows for selection of the ratio between the speed of rotation of one or more driving sources (such as an internal combustion engine drive shaft) and the final transmission shaft. In a preferred configuration, this selection is controlled electronically, managing the broad scope of possibilities provided by the mechanical configuration of this mechanism to dose the torque and power and regulate the rpm of the driving sources, in a hybrid motorization system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Two Heads LLC
    Inventor: Jose Luis Alonso
  • Patent number: 11524672
    Abstract: An electric motor drive retrofit system (EMDRS) comprises a power system, an energy storage system (ESS), a cooling system, a vehicle control unit (VCU), and a user interface device (UID). A non-hybrid combustion engine drive vehicle with tight space constraints is retrofittable with the EMDRS to provide hybrid drive functionality. EMDRS includes a motor generator unit (MGU) coupled to a motor control unit that transfers charge between MGU and ESS. During retrofit, the MGU is coupled between a transmission and an internal combustion engine (ICE) of the vehicle without extending a powertrain length by more than five inches. VCU does not interfere with any pre-existing vehicle electronics. The VCU controls the EMDRS to add torque (discharging ESS) or to remove torque (charging the ESS) based on a selected operating mode and vehicle sensor information (for example, brake and throttle pressure). Operating modes are selected by driver via the UID.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Elephant Racing, LLC
    Inventors: Charles Edward Moreland, William Dean Davis
  • Patent number: 11525485
    Abstract: An axle disconnect assembly, including: a housing; a shaft; a sleeve non-rotatably connected to the shaft and including teeth; a shift assembly; and at least one resilient element directly connected to the shift assembly. In a first blocked mode, the teeth of the sleeve contact the power output without meshing with teeth of the power output, the shift assembly deflects the at least one resilient element to at least one first shape, and the at least one resilient element urges the sleeve against the power output. In a second blocked mode, the teeth of the sleeve are meshed with the teeth of the power output, a force blocks disengagement of the sleeve from the power output, the shift assembly deflects the at least one resilient element to at least one second, and the at least one resilient element urges the sleeve away from the power output without displacing the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Brian Lee
  • Patent number: 11518232
    Abstract: An oil guide of a hybrid module for a vehicle which is arranged in a drivetrain between a drive unit, particularly an internal combustion engine, and an output. An electric machine is provided, and a rotor of the electric machine is connected to the output. A clutch is provided between the drive unit and the electric machine. The clutch has oil conducting elements in order to supply the electric machine with cooling oil. A further aspect of the invention is a hybrid module with such an oil guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Uwe Großgebauer, Steffen Einenkel, Axel Rohm, Thomas Dögel, Tobias Höche, Daniel Lorenz, Thomas Drexlmaier
  • Patent number: 11512768
    Abstract: A belt pulley structure of an engine is provided to prevent abnormal noise from generating between a belt pulley and a torsional vibration damper. The belt pulley structure includes a stepped portion that is formed in a shape that blocks a cavity in a radial direction thereof. The cavity is formed at a portion where a belt pulley and a torsional vibration damper face each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Sun Young Song, Jung Hwan Moon
  • Patent number: 11506244
    Abstract: Provided is a reducer of an electric power steering apparatus. The reducer has a significantly reduced volume, a decreased number of components, and a shortened production process and can prevent vibration and noise generated during power transfer while removing noise caused by a clearance between a shaft and a power transfer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: MANDO CORPORATION
    Inventors: SeulKi Yeom, TaeHo Kim
  • Patent number: 11505057
    Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus includes (a) a clutch control portion configured to output a hydraulic-pressure command value for supplying a hydraulic pressure to a clutch actuator of a clutch disposed between an engine and an electric motor, when the engine is to be started by being cranked by the electric motor, and (b) a learning control portion configured to execute a plurality of leanings for correcting a relationship representing a correlation between the hydraulic pressure and the hydraulic-pressure command value, wherein at least one of the leanings is a higher priority learning, and at least one of the leanings is a lower priority learning. The learning control portion is configured, when the higher priority learning is in an unconverged state, to cause a degree of reflection of a learning result of the lower priority learning to be lower, than when the higher priority learning is in a converged state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keigo Matsubara, Masayuki Baba, Tomoya Inayoshi, Masakazu Kaifuku
  • Patent number: 11498408
    Abstract: A hybrid drive device including a rotary electric machine having a stator and a rotor, a transmission coupled to the rotary electric machine, a clutch that couples an engine and the rotary electric machine and that releases a connection of the two, and a case for housing the rotary electric machine and the clutch, the hybrid drive device including: a first transmitting shaft coupled to an output shaft of the engine; and a second transmitting shaft that transmits power from the rotor of the rotary electric machine to the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignees: AISIN CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shigeki Ideue, Takeru Morita, Kenji Dozono, Akinori Ozawa, Tatsuya Okishima, Masashi Ikemura
  • Patent number: 11498565
    Abstract: A method actuates a vehicle drivetrain of a vehicle having a drive unit, in particular an electric motor, wherein the drivetrain has at least one first partial drivetrain which is assigned to a first output unit which transmits a torque between the drive unit and the first output unit, and has at least one second partial drive train which is assigned to a second output unit which transmits a torque between the drive unit and the second output unit. When a positive torque is transmitted, a load is applied to the drivetrain in a first direction, and when a negative torque is transmitted, a load is applied to the drivetrain in a second direction opposed to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ralf Cosfeld, Manfred Fux, Gerd Kraemer
  • Patent number: 11498534
    Abstract: An electric brake device installed on a vehicle, including: a rotary body to rotate with a wheel; a friction member to be pushed onto the rotary body; an actuator including an electric motor as a drive source to cause the friction member to be pushed onto the rotary body; and a controller to control a braking force generated by the electric brake device by controlling a supply current supplied to the electric motor, wherein the controller determines, by mutually different methods, a plurality of target supply current components each of which is a component of a target supply current as a target of the supply current, determines the target supply current by adding up the target supply current components, and changes contribution degrees of the respective target supply current components in the determination of the target supply current in accordance with a characteristic of the braking force to be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Masayasu Ohkubo
  • Patent number: 11498407
    Abstract: Provided is a structure for connecting an engine to a hybrid transmission, the structure including: a connecting unit connected to a rotor shaft at the opposite side and having an edge portion connected to a mass body by a connecting plate; and a drive plate positioned at a side close to a crank shaft so as to be opposite to the connecting unit, the drive plate being configured to connect the mass body and the crank shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: HYUNDAI TRANSYS INC.
    Inventor: Tae Hoon Kim
  • Patent number: 11499596
    Abstract: Described herein is a system, method of use and Self Retracting Lifeline (SRL) apparatus using a system that governs a dynamic response between members causing a halt in relative motion between the members. Magnetic interactions, eddy current drag forces and centrifugal and/or inertial forces may provide various mechanisms of governing movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: EDDY CURRENT LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
    Inventors: Christopher James Allington, Andrew Karl Diehl, Kevin A. Wright, Weston Hill, Dave Walters
  • Patent number: 11492780
    Abstract: A work vehicle and energy storage device include a ballast providing ballast weight to the horizontal end of the work vehicle, a stator of an electric machine having a vertically extending axis, a rotor of the electric machine fixed for rotation with the ballast and configured for rotation about the vertically extending axis, and a bearing supporting the ballast weight and the rotor for rotation of the rotor relative to the stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Randall L. Long, Stacy K. Worley, Lashun O. Mowers
  • Patent number: 11485218
    Abstract: An oil guide of a hybrid module for a vehicle which is arranged in a drivetrain between a drive unit, particularly an internal combustion engine, and an output. An electric machine is provided, and a rotor of the electric machine is connected to the output. A clutch is provided between the drive unit and the electric machine. The clutch has oil conducting elements in order to supply the electric machine with cooling oil. A further aspect of the invention is a hybrid module with such an oil guide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Uwe Großgebauer, Steffen Einenkel, Axel Rohm, Thomas Dögel, Tobias Höche, Daniel Lorenz, Thomas Drexlmaier
  • Patent number: 11485228
    Abstract: A military vehicle includes a chassis, a front axle coupled to the chassis, a rear axle coupled to the chassis, and a driveline. The driveline includes an engine, an energy storage system, a front end accessory drive positioned in front of and coupled to the engine, a transmission coupled to at least one of the front axle or the rear axle, a second motor coupled to the transmission and electrically coupled to the energy storage system, and a clutch positioned between the engine and the second motor. The front end accessory drive includes an air compressor and a first motor. The first motor is electrically coupled to the energy storage system. The clutch is spring-biased into engagement with the engine and pneumatically disengaged by an air supply selectively provided thereto based on operation of the air compressor. The driveline is operable in an engine-only mode and an electric-only mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Oshkosh Defense, LLC
    Inventors: Chad Smith, Dave Marek, Neil Dekarske, Mike Bolton, Ryan Crabtree, Joseph Dehaan, Rachell Harsh, Michael Koenigs, Shawn Naglik, Mitchel Nordahl, Evan Schertz, Mikel Ullman, Jessica Szymanski, Bradon Zeitler, Deepak Shukla, Ed Trinklein, Tim Voight, Mike Yanacek, Matt Mathison, Nader Nasr