Patents Examined by David R Morris
  • Patent number: 11299043
    Abstract: A driveline assembly for a vehicle including at least one primary shaft rotatable about an axis. At least one reducer assembly is coupled with the at least one primary shaft. The reducer assembly includes a sun gear rotatable with the primary shaft. A plurality of planet gears are rotatable about the sun gear. A ring is positioned about the planet gears. A planet carrier is rotatably connected to a center of each of the planet gears. An output shaft is fixed to the planet carrier. A sliding clutch fixes the ring to a ground in a high torque position to provide a gear reduction, and fixes the ring to the planet carrier in a low torque position to provide a 1:1 gear ratio. A method for operating such a driveline assembly is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Neapco Intellectual Property Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Donald Remboski, Jacqueline Dedo
  • Patent number: 11274709
    Abstract: A clutch includes a hub and a flange located radially inside and outside, respectively, with respect to the clutch rotational axis and associated with hub and flange sides of the clutch. A spring elastically supports the hub and flange sides against each other in the circumferential direction in a torque-transmitting manner. A bearing radially supports the hub and flange sides against one another for rotation around the axis and includes an outer ring supporting the hub and an inner ring supported on a bearing pin associated with the flange side. A friction device connects the hub and flange sides in a friction-locked and torque-transmitting manner in the circumferential direction and includes a friction element and a friction surface which are pretensioned against one another in the axial direction. A tensioning device includes a tensioning element that applies force to, and axially pretensions, the friction device and bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Stromag GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Böhm, Friedrich Faust, Olaf Mikolajczyk, Daniela Spink
  • Patent number: 11255388
    Abstract: Provided is a centrifugal clutch configured so that tilt of a clutch weight can be more effectively reduced to reduce occurrence of uneven wear of the clutch weight and a clutch shoe and smoothly swing the clutch weight. A centrifugal clutch 200 includes clutch weights 230 and plate-side cam bodies 218 on a drive plate 210 to be rotatably driven by drive force of an engine. The clutch weight 230 turnably displaces to a clutch outer 240 side, and includes a weight-side cam body 238 configured to climb on the plate-side cam body 218. In the clutch weight 230, each of a center portion CCP in a cam contact area CE between the plate-side cam body 218 and the weight-side cam body 238, the positions FP1, FP2 of action of force F1, F2 of a coupling spring 235, and a center portion SCP of a clutch shoe 236 in a thickness direction thereof is coincident with a barycentric position WCP of the clutch weight 230.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha F.C.C.
    Inventors: Kaoru Aono, Yuta Yokomichi, Yuta Kine, Makoto Kataoka
  • Patent number: 11255385
    Abstract: A clutch (100) having: a fixed hub (201), a movable hub (202), a plurality of discs (204). The fixed hub (201) and the movable hub (202) axially slide, getting farther or closer so as to transmit a variable axial load onto the discs (204). The clutch (100) has a pressure plate assembly (208) including a centrifugal assembly (210), having: a rotatable mass holder (211) and a plurality of mass elements (212) radially disposed. Each mass element (212) has a pivot (301) and is configured for a displacement (1002) by pivoting under centrifugal effects. The mass elements (212) are configured for bringing the movable hub (202) closer to the fixed hub (201), so as to increase the variable axial load and allowing the clutch (100) (automatic) engagement. Each mass element (212) has a main body (302) and a column element (303) which connects the pivot (301) with the main body (302).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Endurance Adler S.p.A.
    Inventor: Alfio Morone
  • Patent number: 11231074
    Abstract: Provided is a clutch device configured so that close contactability between a cam surface of a center clutch and a cam surface of a pressure clutch can be improved and torque transmission can be stabilized accordingly. The clutch device (100) includes a center clutch (105) and a pressure clutch (112). The center clutch (105) includes center-side cam portions (107), a pressure clutch slide portion (106), and a lifter plate slide portion (110). The pressure clutch (112) includes pressure-side cam portions (114), a lifter plate (116), and a second center clutch slide portion (113). The lifter plate (116) includes first center clutch slide portions (120). A clearance (C2) between the second center clutch slide portion (113) and the pressure clutch slide portion (106) is set greater than a clearance (C1) between the first center clutch slide portion (120) and the lifter plate slide portion (110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha F.C.C.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Isobe, Kenichiro Takahashi, Katsu Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 11231075
    Abstract: A transmission device includes a first rotating member and a ring for synchronizing the first rotating member and a second rotating member relative to each other. The first rotating member is provided with a plurality of first recesses for receiving a plurality of protrusions provided on the synchronizing ring. The first rotating member has one said first recess for each of said protrusions. The first rotating member is provided with one or more second recesses making the total number of first and second recesses exceeding the number of said protrusions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: NINGBO GEELY AUTOMOBILE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT CO.
    Inventors: Adil Shabbir, Eva Barrientos Blanco
  • Patent number: 11226015
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a wet friction engaging device. The device includes a plate group engaged with two connecting members and including two groups of friction plates housed in a plate housing chamber and alternately arranged in an axial direction with surfaces facing each other. The plate group is switched between an engaged state in which the friction plates are in close contact with each other, and a disengaged state in which the friction plates are separable from each other. End plates at respective ends of the plate group are kept at a larger distance in the axial direction after a switch to the disengaged state than in the engaged state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hirofumi Ebisumoto, Tsukasa Sori, Hitoshi Tamegai
  • Patent number: 11226016
    Abstract: An automatic free-coasting freewheel (AFF) having: a free-coasting state; an engaged state and a freewheeling state, the AFF comprising: a driving member; an inertial unit; a driven member; a freewheeling biasing member; and an axis of rotation defining an axle; wherein the driving member, driven member and inertial unit are coaxially mounted onto the axle and rotatable thereupon, the driving member configured to controllably rotate relative to the inertia unit; the driving and driven members having angular velocities: ?DRIVING and ?DRIVEN; and angular accelerations ?DRIVING and ?DRIVEN; the inertial unit further comprising a suspension member configured with at least one set of: a locking member and a free-coasting biasing member; wherein the inertial unit is configured to interact between the driving and the driven member to automatically shift between the states, depending upon ?DRIVING versus a threshold value (?MIN) and ?DRIVEN and ?DRIVING.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: DRIVEN INNOVATIONS LTD.
    Inventor: Amir Elias
  • Patent number: 11215240
    Abstract: A self-aligning clutch release bearing in which consideration is taken for a fiber flow in a steel sheet of which a side plate is made. Specifically, the side plate is formed with cutout portions at locations where an imaginary line passing through the cutout portions and the center of an inner-diameter portion is across the fiber flow in the steel sheet of which the side plate is made. With this arrangement, the present invention makes it possible that cracks do not develop easily from the cutout portions when a flange portion is formed by means of burring process after the side plate is punched by means of blanking process. This leads to improved yield and increased strength of the side plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shohei Fukama
  • Patent number: 11215243
    Abstract: A clutch assembly comprises an actuation assembly, an outer ring, and an inner ring disposed radially inward of the outer ring and rotatable about an axis in first and second rotational directions. A first and second strut are rotatably disposed within first and second pockets of the outer ring and configured to be rotated by the actuation assembly. A first pawl and a second pawl are rotatably disposed within a third pocket and a fourth pocket, respectively. For a transition mode, the actuation assembly is configured to rotate the first strut within the first pocket such that rotation of the first strut in the first rotational direction urges the first pawl radially inward into partial engagement with teeth disposed on an outer surface of the inner ring, the second pawl remains free of contact with the inner ring and the inner ring rotates in the first rotational direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Hodge, Peter Burke, James Copeland, Jordan Geiser, Kenneth Hunt
  • Patent number: 11203259
    Abstract: A power train device of a vehicle includes an engine and an automatic transmission. The automatic transmission is configured such that in a neutral state, multiple ones of multiple rotary elements forming a power transmission path other than a rotary element coupled to an input member and a rotary element coupled to an output member are in a non-restraining state. The multiple ones of the multiple rotary elements include a rotary element of a predetermined brake among multiple friction fastening elements, and the predetermined brake is fastened before a fuel supply upon an engine start.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Narihito Hongawara, Takuya Sugisawa, Keitaro Kageyama, Satoshi Fujikawa, Hiroki Tanabe, Shingo Kodama
  • Patent number: 11198420
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a motor vehicle with an electric parking brake. The system includes a clutch sensor, generating a clutch sensor signal representing operation of a clutch of the motor vehicle. A gear selection sensor generates a sensor signal indicating a particular gear selection or position of a manual gearbox of the motor vehicle. Using these and if needed other various inputs, the system generates a deactivation signal for releasing the electric parking brake when a clutch operation is detected and the vehicle gearbox is positioned or has a gear selection other than a neutral position of the manual gearbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jill Trappe, Sebastian Leitermann, Marc Suermann
  • Patent number: 11193550
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for optimizing feature parameters of straight grooves of a wet friction element and relates to the technical field of heavy-duty vehicle transmission. By using the method, the feature parameters of the straight grooves of the wet friction element can be improved by optimization, and the thermoelastic stability of the wet friction element can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture
    Inventors: Jie Li, Xiaoyan Wang, Yanxiong Zhang, Jialing Gu, Long Tao, Cheng Chen
  • Patent number: 11187313
    Abstract: A differential includes a driven body, an output element, and a clutch assembly radially interposed between the driven body and the output element. The clutch assembly includes a first wedge clutch configured to rotationally lock the output element to the driven body in a first direction and to overrun in a second direction, and a second wedge clutch configured to rotationally lock the output element to the driven body in the second direction and to overrun in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Brian Peet, Nicholas Hrusch
  • Patent number: 11181195
    Abstract: A gearwheel (10), in particular a parking interlock gear for a parking lock arrangement, includes an annular body with a radially acting first toothing (2), arranged on the outer circumference of the annular body (1), for the engagement of a locking pawl, an axially acting second toothing (3), arranged on a face end of the annular body and including a plurality of teeth (5) with oblique tooth flanks (5a, 5b), for the engagement of a corresponding axially acting third toothing (42), which includes teeth (44) with oblique tooth flanks (44a, 44b), of a shaft (40). A parking lock arrangement also includes the gearwheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Kehr, Eckhardt Lübke, Matthias Reisch, Tobias Baum
  • Patent number: 11174919
    Abstract: A speed reduction device including a first internally meshing planetary gear mechanism and a second internally meshing planetary gear mechanism, including: a housing; an input shaft rotatably supported by the housing at its first shaft portion through a first bearing; a planetary gear member rotatably supported by an eccentric shaft portion of the input shaft through a second bearing; and an output shaft rotatably supported by a second shaft portion of the input shaft through a third bearing, wherein a distance in an axial direction between a first support position and a second support position is equal to a distance in the axial direction between the second support position and a third support position, and a distance in the axial direction between the second support position and an input-side meshing position is equal to a distance in the axial direction between the second support position and an output-side meshing position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Nishigaya, Yoji Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 11174013
    Abstract: A failsafe multimode clutch assembly is positioned in a powertrain of a rotorcraft. The clutch assembly includes a freewheeling unit having input and output races. The freewheeling unit has a driving mode in which torque applied to the input race is transferred to the output race and an overrunning mode in which torque applied to the output race is not transferred to the input race. A bypass assembly has an engaged position that couples the input and output races of the freewheeling unit. An actuator assembly must be energized to shift the bypass assembly from the engaged position to a disengaged position. In the disengaged position, the overrunning mode of the freewheeling unit is enabled such that the clutch assembly is configured for unidirectional torque transfer. In the engaged position, the overrunning mode of the freewheeling unit is disabled such that the clutch assembly is configured for bidirectional torque transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Stephen Olson, David Andrew Prater
  • Patent number: 11174927
    Abstract: An electromotive drive assembly comprises a housing arrangement with a first and second housing element between which an intermediate plate is arranged; a drive unit comprising a drive shaft which is rotatably drivable about a first axis of rotation; a transmission arrangement with an intermediate shaft which extends through an opening of the intermediate plate and is rotatably drivable by the drive shaft, and with a power split unit which is drivingly connected to the intermediate shaft and is rotatably supported about a third axis of rotation coaxial with the first axis of rotation by a first bearing in the intermediate plate and a second bearing in the second housing element; and a clutch arrangement by which the power path between the drive unit and the power split unit can be selectively connected and disconnected, wherein the opening comprises a clutch receptacle on which at least one element of the controllable clutch arrangement is axially supported.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Simon Broicher, Mark Schmidt, Ervin Szilagyi, Damian Dudek
  • Patent number: 11174014
    Abstract: A failsafe multimode clutch assembly is positioned in a powertrain of a rotorcraft. The clutch assembly includes a freewheeling unit having input and output races. The freewheeling unit has a driving mode in which torque applied to the input race is transferred to the output race and an overrunning mode in which torque applied to the output race is not transferred to the input race. A bypass assembly has an engaged position that couples the input and output races of the freewheeling unit. An actuator assembly must be energized to shift the bypass assembly from the engaged position to a disengaged position. In the disengaged position, the overrunning mode of the freewheeling unit is enabled such that the clutch assembly is configured for unidirectional torque transfer. In the engaged position, the overrunning mode of the freewheeling unit is disabled such that the clutch assembly is configured for bidirectional torque transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Stephen Olson
  • Patent number: 11174904
    Abstract: A field core unit for an electromagnetic clutch can include: a field coil generating a magnetic flux; a magnetic part provided with an annular-shaped insertion groove encompassing lower and side portions of the field coil such that the magnetic flux flows through the magnetic part; and a field core configured such that an upper surface thereof is open and an interior space is formed therein. The magnetic part can be inserted into the field core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Shin Gyu Kim, Hyung Suk Kim, Young Min Kim, Sung Taeg Oh