Patents Examined by David R Morris
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11174015
    Abstract: A multimode clutch assembly is positioned in a powertrain of a rotorcraft. The clutch assembly includes a freewheeling unit having 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 shifts the bypass assembly between engaged and disengaged positions. An engagement status sensor is configured to determine the engagement status of the bypass assembly. 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: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Andrew Goodwin, David Andrew Prater, Eric Stephen Olson, David Bryan Roberts, Chia-Wei Su, Michael David Trantham, Charles Eric Covington
  • Patent number: 11173915
    Abstract: A drive apparatus of a hybrid vehicle including a first and second rotors arranged movably in axial direction so as to separate from or approach each other, and a microprocessor. The microprocessor is configured to perform selecting a drive mode from among drive modes including a first mode in which the engine drives a planetary gear mechanism, a second mode in which the engine is stopped, and a third mode in which the engine is driven through the planetary gear mechanism, and controlling a first motor-generator and a clutch mechanism so that the first motor-generator generates regenerative energy when the drive mode is switched from the first mode to the second mode, and then so that the clutch mechanism is engaged and the first motor-generator generates drive torque when the drive mode is switched to the third mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahiro Kasahara
  • Patent number: 11168745
    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; and a piston configured to apply a pressing force to the plate group. 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. One of end plates at respective ends of the plate group is a movable end plate movable in the axial direction, and the other is a stationary end plate immovable in the axial direction. The movable end plate is biased by a spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Tsukasa Sori, Hirofumi Ebisumoto
  • Patent number: 11166410
    Abstract: A reduction drive including an electric motor disposed in a housing and driving a motor shaft, a Hall Effect sensor adjacent to the motor, a power and control module, and a pinion gear in the housing and driven by the motor shaft. A planetary gear reduction assembly includes a first ring gear rotatably disposed in the housing and driven by the pinion gear, a sun gear engaged to and driven by the first ring gear, a second ring gear non-rotatably fixed to a housing surface, and a plurality of planet gears mounted on a carrier assembly, each planet gear rotating with the sun gear, and on the second ring gear. An output axle is driven by the carrier assembly and has an axis of rotation that is offset from and parallel to the motor shaft axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
    Inventor: Nathan W. Bonny
  • Patent number: 11168747
    Abstract: A hydraulic gearbox actuator with a hydraulic pump which has a pump body wherein a rotor is arranged, wherein a drive motor is provided with which the rotor can be driven in opposite directions, wherein two working chambers which are separated from each other are formed in the pump body, the working chambers each having two openings, of which at least three openings are connected to a respective pressure supply circuit, the one side of which is connected to a reservoir and the other side of which is connected to one of three pressure outlets of the gearbox actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: FTE automotive GmbH
    Inventor: Wilhelm Heubner
  • Patent number: 11162543
    Abstract: A pawl clutch may include a first member having at least one notch, and a second member. The first member and the second member may be configured to rotate relative to each other at a speed differential when the pawl clutch is disengaged. The pawl clutch may further comprise at least one pawl moveably retained to the second member and configured to engage the pawl clutch by engaging the notch of the first member. The notch of the first member may have one of a chamfered edge and a concave edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Brett Peglowski, Calahan B. Campton, Michael W. Campbell
  • Patent number: 11156279
    Abstract: A torque converter includes an impeller and a turbine configured to fluidly couple with the impeller. A bypass clutch has a hydraulically actuated piston, an apply chamber, and a compensation chamber. A turbine hub is attached to the turbine and has an inner circumferential surface defining axially extending teeth configured to connect with a shaft. A flow-control sleeve is axially spaced from the turbine hub and has a radial tab portion attached to the turbine. The sleeve defines an orifice in fluid communication with the apply chamber or the compensation chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Long Souers, Drew Hilty
  • Patent number: 11156282
    Abstract: Provided is a work vehicle having a compact braking device. The work vehicle includes a drive shaft part to which power generated by a power source is transmitted and which transmits the power to drive wheels via a differential device, and a drive shaft braking mechanism which generates a braking force on the drive shaft part when a brake pedal is depressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: ISEKI & CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Hisaoka
  • Patent number: 11155163
    Abstract: A method for assembling a clutch control unit in a transmission clutch housing of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of coupling the clutch control unit to the transmission clutch housing by a first guide means comprising a first pin and a first slot; coupling the clutch control unit to the transmission clutch housing by a second guide means comprising a second pin and a second slot; and displacing the clutch control unit from a first position at least partially outside the transmission clutch housing to an operative second position within the transmission clutch housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: André Luís Klostermann, Pär Öhrfeldt
  • Patent number: 11149800
    Abstract: A fluid actuated clutch (40) includes a disc pack (120) that includes friction discs (122) and separator discs (124) mounted on a hub (50). A cylinder (68) which includes a movable piston (72) is in connection with the hub. The introduction and release of fluid to a variable volume chamber (76) selectively applies force to the disc pack to engage the clutch and releases the force to disengage the clutch. The clutch includes internal bearings (90, 82). Grease or other lubricant material is injected into a radially extending lubricant passage (96). The lubricant is held in the area of the bearings and other moving parts by rigid annular grease shields (93, 79). Annular grease release gaps (61, 107) prevent over packing with lubricant while maintaining lubrication and facilitating cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: LOGAN CLUTCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: W. Andrew Logan, Scott W. Stevens
  • Patent number: 11148528
    Abstract: A transfer gearbox device, comprising a differential gear with a crown wheel in a first oil chamber, and a friction clutch in a second oil chamber. The first oil chamber comprises a first oil sump and the second oil chamber comprises a second oil sump. A valve is between the first oil chamber and the second oil chamber. When the valve is open, oil can pass via the valve out of the first oil chamber into the second oil chamber. When the valve is closed, oil cannot pass via the valve out of the first oil chamber. When the valve is open, by rotating the crown wheel, oil is conveyed by the crown wheel from the first oil sump into a first oil collector and is guided therefrom via a first oil guide and via the valve to the friction clutch cool and/or to lubricate the friction clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA POWERTRAIN GMBH & CO KG
    Inventor: Lukas Legl
  • Patent number: 11137037
    Abstract: A fluid friction clutch may include a rotatably mounted shaft, a drive disk arranged on the shaft in a rotationally fixed manner, a driven body rotatably arranged on the shaft, and a ring-shaped transfer region disposed between the drive disk and the driven body. The transfer region may be configured to receive a viscous fluid via which the drive disk is couplable to the driven body for transferring a torque. The transfer region may be defined by a ring-shaped first groove profile of the drive disk and a ring-shaped second groove profile of the driven body that engage one another axially. The clutch may also include a storage chamber fluidically connected to the transfer region via an inflow path and via a return path. The return path may include a first retaining body and a second retaining body arranged radially offset relative to one another by an arc angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Inventors: Jens Langenstein, Gerold Schultheiss
  • Patent number: 11118663
    Abstract: A clutch arrangement has a clutch housing and a clutch element carrier, one of which receives at least one clutch element and the other of which is configured as a friction area carrier for a friction area so that, to produce a frictional engagement connection, the clutch element can be brought into operative connection with the friction area or, to cancel the frictional engagement connection, the clutch element can be separated from the friction area. The clutch element has a support for a friction facing, and the clutch element has a holding device radially adjacent to the friction facing for receiving the support of the clutch element. The support has at its side opposite the friction facing a further friction facing acting as seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Andreas Thiede, Markus Walper, Daniel Pinke
  • Patent number: 11118636
    Abstract: A transmission system includes a clutch control valve assembly having an armature for adjusting a valve, rested upon metallic slide bearings under the force of gravity. The armature includes a core material that is metallic and magnetically soft, an outer thin-film coating that is non-metallic, and a backing substrate material for supporting the outer thin-filmed coating interposed the core material and the outer thin-film coating. The backing substrate material may be case hardened material derived from the core material, such as ferritic nitrocarburized (FNC) iron. The outer thin film coating may be a diamond-like carbon (DLC) material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Bao Feng, Andrew Henry Nippert, Qursheed Hussain Mohammed
  • Patent number: 11118664
    Abstract: A differential assembly that includes a differential input member, a differential gear set, a first clutch, and a second clutch. The differential input member is rotatable about a differential axis and defines an internal cavity. The differential gear set is received in the differential cavity and includes first and second side gears. The first clutch has a plurality of first clutch plates and a plurality of second clutch plates. The first clutch plates are rotatably coupled to the differential input member. The second clutch plates are interleaved with the first clutch plates and are rotatably coupled to the first side gear. The second clutch is selectively operable to non-rotatably couple one of the first and second side gears to the differential input member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick E. Zink, Joshua A. Kirby, Joseph S. Balenda, II, Michael Schulte
  • Patent number: 11118638
    Abstract: A reverse input lock clutch has a fitting portion of a spring stopper rotatably fitted in a cylindrical dent formed by being surrounded by an inner diameter portion on an end surface of an output member on a side opposite to a fixed member. A locking portion rotates with the fitting portion while having one end of a first elastic member locked by a holder groove. Adjustment of the rotation position of the lock portion with respect to the output member is made by rotating the fitting portion within a range of a groove length of an adjustment groove with respect to the output member and anchoring an adjustment pin at a desired rotation position to the adjustment pin fixing portion so as to fix the fitting portion on the output member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: TOK, INC.
    Inventors: Daisuke Takahashi, Makoto Sekine
  • Patent number: 11118665
    Abstract: An actuator assembly including a housing. The housing having an actuator component, an armature, and at least a portion of a sensor disposed therein. The armature is selectively positionable between a first position and a second position. The sensor includes at least one sensing element disposed within the housing adjacent to the armature. The sensing element has a physical property which varies based upon a position of the armature within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Dana Automotive Systems Group, LLC
    Inventors: Michael Z. Creech, Justin S. Davis, Robert D. Keller, Terry W. McGraner, Timothy R. Zuehlke
  • Patent number: 11111966
    Abstract: A synchronizer for mechanical transmissions having a phasing system configured so as to include a plurality of first cavities on an internal cylindrical surface of a rim of a hub, the hub torsionally connected with a transmission shaft, forming the external teeth of the hub and, for each of the first cavities, either a tooth which radially protrudes from an external cylindrical surface of a synchronizing ring of the synchronizer and is arranged to engage in the first cavity, or a connecting pin arranged to engage on one side the first cavity and on the other a respective second cavity on the external cylindrical surface, wherein the first cavities have an arc- or round-shaped cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: DANA GRAZIANO S.R.L.
    Inventors: Silvano Colombo, Andrea Serra