Patents Examined by Dirk Wright
  • Patent number: 10876612
    Abstract: A method operates a drive train for driving a working machine with variable rotation speed. The method includes running up the electric drive machine from a standstill with evacuated hydrodynamic rotation speed/torque converter to a predefined value which indirectly characterizes the operating mode of the drive machine. Simultaneously with reaching the predefined value which indirectly characterizes the operating mode of the drive machine or with a temporal offset after reaching this, filling the hydrodynamic rotation speed/torque converter and driving the turbine vane wheel. Thereafter, the third element of the planetary gear mechanism is driven with a rotation speed which results from a superposition, defined by the planetary gear mechanism, of the rotation speed of the first element of the planetary gear mechanism connected to the electric drive machine and the rotation speed of the second element of the planetary gear mechanism which is indirectly connected to the turbine wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Voith Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Goretzki, Hartmut Graf, Thomas Taeuber
  • Patent number: 10875518
    Abstract: A combined multistage hybrid transmission has a transmission housing; a transmission input shaft; a transmission output shaft; a first planetary gear set with a first sun pinion, a first ring gear, and a first carrier shaft on which at least one first planetary gear is rotatably mounted; a second planetary gear set with a second sun pinion, a second ring gear, and a second carrier shaft on which at least one second planetary gear is rotatably mounted. An electromechanical energy converter is rotationally fixed to the first sun pinion, wherein the first ring gear is rotationally fixed to the second sun pinion by an intermediate shaft. The transmission output shaft is arranged axially parallel and at a radial distance to the transmission input shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2020
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Benjamin Kluge, Sebastian Liebert, Ulrich Ohnemus, Fritz Pobitzer
  • Patent number: 10870423
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a pair of front axle shafts, and a transfer case having a clutch assembly configured to selectively move between a closed position to enable the engine to drive the front axle shafts, and an open position to disable the engine from driving the front axle shafts. A control system is configured to momentarily open the clutch assembly when the vehicle is coming to a stop or is stopped in order to relieve residual torque build-up in the front axle shafts to thereby reduce idle vibration transmission between the engine and a body of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey M Orzechowski, Kenneth Pachucki, Urmit Patel, Robert R Roco, Gregory A Sbroglia, Donald F Schmanski, Swapneel H Gharpure
  • Patent number: 10871217
    Abstract: A bearing assembly for supporting a helical-wheel shaft of a helical planetary gear, in particular an adjustment device in vehicles for adjusting two mutually adjustable vehicle parts, wherein the helical-wheel planetary gear is a helical-wheel shaft with a helical-gear toothing, which shaft is rotatably mounted about a helical-wheel shaft axis, and a planetary carrier comprising at least three helical planetary gears, each rotatably mounted in the planetary carrier about a planetary gear axis, and each having a planetary gear toothing, wherein the helical gear planetary axes extend obliquely to the helical-wheel shaft axis, and the bearing assembly for supporting the helical gear shaft has a first bearing section and a second bearing section, wherein the first bearing section consists of an axial and radial bearing, and the second bearing section consists of helical-wheel planetary gears, wherein the planetary gear toothing in the second bearing section meshes with the helical-gear toothing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: IMS Gear SE & Co. KGaA
    Inventors: Simon Albert, Matthias Kieninger, Stephan Oberle
  • Patent number: 10859137
    Abstract: A kinetic energy storage device, a pumpjack inertia capacitor (PIC), for use with an oil well pumpjack, the PIC includes a primary shaft assembly to transfer power and torque between a prime mover of the oil well pumpjack, a flywheel assembly having one or more flywheels, and an output assembly, the one or more flywheels absorb and then transfer torque to an oil well pumping unit to enable the oil well pumping unit to operate at a near constant speed; and the one or more flywheels enable the prime mover to operate at a near constant speed and a near constant power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Inventor: William Terry Lester
  • Patent number: 10859155
    Abstract: A gearbox includes a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears, an annulus gear and a planet carrier. The planet carrier includes a first ring, second ring spaced axially from the first ring, a plurality of circumferentially spaced axles and a plurality of circumferentially spaced support structures extending axially between and secured to the first ring and second ring. Each planet gear is rotatably mounted on a respective one of the axles. The first ring has a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses and the second ring has a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses. Each recess in the second ring is aligned with a corresponding one of the recesses in the first ring. A first end of each support structure locates in a recess in the first ring. A second end of each support structure locates in a recess in the second ring. Each support structure comprises a fused powdered material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Daniel Clark, Andrew R Ramshaw, Peter J Dixon
  • Patent number: 10851886
    Abstract: A two-speed transfer case for a four-wheel drive vehicle is provided. The transfer case has a two-speed planetary gearset, a range clutch, and a range shift mechanism. The planetary gearset includes a carrier unit having at least one crack arresting feature configured to limit propagation of a stress crack. The carrier unit includes a plurality of mounting holes for securing planet gears for rotation relative to the carrier unit. The gearset includes a sun gear configured for and a ring gear, with the planet gears in meshed engagement with the sun gear and the ring gear. The crack arresting feature extends at least partially through a portion of the carrier unit and is configured to receive a crack propagating from a central aperture of the carrier unit. The crack arresting feature is disposed radially between the central aperture and the mounting holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: MAGNA POWERTRAIN OF AMERICA INC.
    Inventors: Michael Bujold, Ralph Larson
  • Patent number: 10843547
    Abstract: A drive train for a hybrid motor vehicle is disclosed. The drive train includes a drive shaft for introducing a torque produced in an internal combustion engine, a transmission input shaft, which can be coupled to the drive shaft by a first clutch, and a steplessly adjustable variator coupled to the transmission input shaft for converting and transmitting the torque to an output shaft. The drive train also includes an electric machine for introducing an electrically produced torque, wherein the electric machine has a rotor, which can be made to interact with a stator, and the rotor can be coupled to the transmission input shaft by a second clutch. A direct drive stage is provided, which can be coupled to the rotor of the electric machine by a third clutch, for transmitting the torque produced in the electric machine past the variator to the output shaft. The first clutch, the second clutch and the third clutch are arranged radially on the inside in relation to the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Bernhard Walter
  • Patent number: 10843563
    Abstract: A disconnect assembly, including: a selector; a first clutch including a first sleeve; and a second clutch including a second sleeve. In a drive mode, the first sleeve non-rotatably connects a first drive gear and a first axle of a first drive train, and the second sleeve is non-rotatably connects a second drive gear to a second axle of a second drive train. In a disconnect mode, relative rotation between the first drive gear and the first axle is enabled and relative rotation between the second drive gear and the second axle is enabled. To transition from the drive mode to the disconnect mode, the selector is displaced by an actuator, the selector is arranged to disconnect the first annular sleeve from the first drive gear or the first axle, and the selector is arranged to disconnect the second annular sleeve from the second drive gear or the second axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Brian Lee
  • Patent number: 10837550
    Abstract: A straddled vehicle includes a gear position sensor abnormality detector which is configured to detect an abnormality of a gear position sensor which is provided at a crankshaft-supporter-integrated transmission supporter. The gear position sensor abnormality detector determines that the gear position sensor has an abnormality when the shift of a straddled vehicle from a stopped state to a running state is detected based on a signal from a rotation speed sensor while the gear position detected by the gear position sensor is included in a high-speed gear position class. Furthermore, the gear position sensor abnormality detector determines that the gear position sensor has an abnormality when the gear position detected by the gear position sensor is included in a low-speed gear position class and is different from a gear position estimated based on a signal from a crankshaft sensor and a signal from the rotation speed sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kosei Maebashi
  • Patent number: 10836391
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating a continuously variable transmission (CVT) of a driveline of a vehicle during a request for engine compression braking. In one example, a method may include, responsive to an engine compression braking request, operating a CVT via a controller to adjust engine speed according to an engine speed-to-vehicle speed profile selected based on a power-based target engine speed for the engine compression braking request. The power-based target engine speed may vary continuously with driver demanded power and a battery charge power limit of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bryan Whitney Belt, Carol Okubo, Craig Lechlitner
  • Patent number: 10830342
    Abstract: A line pressure control method for a dual-clutch transmission (DCT), may include a hydraulic-pressure-decreasing operation of interrupting, by a controller, the supply of current to an electric oil pump and estimating a decrease in a line pressure using a line pressure model based on a pressure accumulator mounted in a hydraulic pressure line, a pump-driving operation of, when the estimated line pressure is equal to or less than a predetermined lower-limit value, driving, by the controller, the electric oil pump, and a hydraulic-pressure-increasing operation of determining, by the controller, the line pressure based on the current supplied to the electric oil pump and to determine whether the determined line pressure is equal to or greater than a predetermined upper-limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Young Ho Ko, Hwa Young Lee, Young Min Yoon, Jin Sung Kim
  • Patent number: 10830320
    Abstract: Provided is an electric actuator, including: a motor part; a motion conversion mechanism part; an operation part; and a terminal part, wherein a hollow rotary shaft configured to support a rotor core of the motor part is supported by a rolling bearing so as to be rotatable, wherein the motion conversion mechanism part is coupled to the hollow rotary shaft, and includes a ball screw, wherein a ball screw nut of the ball screw is arranged inside the hollow rotary shaft, wherein the operation part is coupled to the motion conversion mechanism part, and wherein an inner raceway surface of the rolling bearing is formed on the hollow rotary shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takushi Matsuto, Yoshinori Ikeda, Yuuki Naitou
  • Patent number: 10829179
    Abstract: A control system for a human-powered vehicle includes an input device, an additional input device, and a controller. The input device is configured to receive manual input from a rider. The additional input device is configured to receive manual input from the rider. The controller is configured to control a shifting device of the human-powered vehicle based on one of an output signal from the input device and an output signal from the additional input device. The controller is configured to output one of a first control signal for a single shifting operation and a second control signal for a multiple shifting operation in response to the manual input received by one of the input device and the additional input device. The controller is further configured to output one of a first control signal and a second control signal based on a state of the human-powered vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventors: Masahiro Honda, Hideaki Yao, Satoshi Shahana, Katsuhiro Tachibana
  • Patent number: 10829118
    Abstract: A brake system includes an accumulator accumulating hydraulic oil discharged from a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic oil cooler cooling the hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic pump, a switch valve switching between a first oil channel that allows supplying the hydraulic oil from the hydraulic pump to the accumulator but not to the hydraulic oil cooler, and a second oil channel that allows supplying the hydraulic oil from the hydraulic pump to the hydraulic oil cooler, and a controller controlling an engine to increase an engine speed of the engine when a first detector detects timing to switch the switch valve from the second oil channel to the first oil channel and a second detector detects that the engine is running at idle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventor: Daisuke Maruyama
  • Patent number: 10829107
    Abstract: A method may include a data collection operation; a data-processing; a type determination operation in which the controller analyzes a pattern of the processed data to determine a type of pattern from among predetermined reference patterns; an STS calculation operation in which the controller is configured to determine an STS; a map selection operation in which the controller is configured to select a control map among a plurality of control maps on the basis of an LTS determined by accumulating the STS; and a gear-shifting operation in which the controller performs gear shifting using the selected controller map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Geon Tae Lee, Min Ki Kim
  • Patent number: 10829119
    Abstract: Disclosed are an emergency brake control method, device, ECU and vehicle. The method includes: when receiving a first trigger signal indicating that a vehicle enters a driving accompanying mode, activating the driving accompanying mode; and in the driving accompanying mode, when receiving an emergency brake command, controlling an Electronic Stability Program ESP to decelerate the vehicle at a preset deceleration in the driving accompanying mode, and sending a fuel cut-off request signal to an Engine Management System EMS to cut off a torque output of an engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Great Wall Motor Company Limited
    Inventors: Shiliang Zhang, Shenhong Liu, Fanmao Kong, Xianglu Meng, Libo Wang
  • Patent number: 10830340
    Abstract: The present invention improves fuel efficiency of a vehicle and decreases a noise, by decreasing a margin value of a hydraulic pressure supplied to a hydraulic pressure control target and decreasing the hydraulic pressure supplied to the hydraulic pressure control target, when the vehicle is driven automatically. In a hydraulic pressure control device 1 for a vehicle that controls a line pressure or an operation pressure (hydraulic pressure) supplied to a clutch 40 or a transmission 41 (hydraulic pressure control target) provided in the vehicle, the hydraulic pressure control device 1 includes an operation pressure control unit 10 (hydraulic pressure setting device) that sets margin values ?1 and ?2 of the operation pressure (line pressure) supplied to hydraulic circuits 31 and 31 of the clutch 40 or the transmission 41, on the basis of a predetermined driving plan (refer to FIG. 2) in the case of driving the vehicle automatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Matsuoka, Masashi Seimiya
  • Patent number: 10830126
    Abstract: A two-speed pulley assembly for an engine accessory drive includes a planetary gear, a pulley, a friction clutch, a one-way clutch, and a torsional isolator. The planetary gear has a ring gear, a sun gear, a planet carrier and at least one planet gear. The planet carrier is arranged for driving engagement with an engine crankshaft. The pulley circumscribes the ring gear and is in driving engagement with the ring gear. The friction clutch is arranged to selectively prevent rotation of the sun gear. The one-way clutch permits rotation of the sun gear relative to the ring gear in a first rotational direction, and prevents rotation of the sun gear relative to the ring gear in a second rotational direction, opposite the first rotational direction. The torsional isolator is drivingly connected to the planet carrier and arranged to rotate at a same speed as the planet carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Nicholas Hrusch, Michael Swank
  • Patent number: 10821817
    Abstract: An energy storage and transmission system (ESRS) (69) comprises a transmission (9, 11) and an energy storage device such as a flywheel (1). While energy is being transferred between the energy storage device (1) and an energy source/sink (7), the transmission ratio of the transmission (9, 11) will usually be changing constantly. In order to manage the torque applied by the energy transfer device (1) or the power transferred, a controller (100) responds to discrepancy between the torque or power supplied and the torque or power demanded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: PUNCH FLYBRID LIMITED
    Inventors: Ernesto Zedan, Ian Murphy, Andrew Deakin