Patents Examined by Eric M. Williams
  • Patent number: 6640951
    Abstract: A clutch actuation system includes an actuator drive for actuating the clutch, and a position control circuit having a controller determining a position of the clutch and to which a position setpoint value is fed and a measurement signal, representing the position, of a sensor is fed as an actual value. A filter that filters interference oscillations out of the position signal is inserted into the position control circuit. The stop band of the filter depends adaptively on the rotational speed of the drive engine of the motor vehicle, in particular, the stop band corresponds to the speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Joachim Bamberger, Joachim Horn, Peter Michau
  • Patent number: 6637570
    Abstract: An over-running clutch pulley of the preferred embodiment includes a sheave member, a hub member located substantially concentrically within the sheave member, a sealing member, and a clutch member, which cooperate to rotationally engage the drive belt and the cylindrical shaft. The sheave member preferably includes a sheave input section adapted to engage the input device, a sheave clutch section defining a sheave clutch surface, and a sheave flange element. Similarly, the hub member preferably includes a hub output section adapted to engage the output device, a hub clutch section defining a hub clutch surface, and a hub lip element. The sealing member preferably includes a seal outer section frictionally engaged with the sheave flange element, and a seal inner section slidably engaged with the hub lip element. The sealing member preferably functions to substantially seal a cavity defined by the sheave flange element and the hub lip element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: John Miller, Randall King, Bryce Babcock
  • Patent number: 6634976
    Abstract: A continuously variable ratio transmission includes a planetary gear set connected to a prime mover having first and second output shafts. The first output shaft is connected in a hydraulic braking circuit including a positive displacement pump and an operator controlled variable flow valve for varying the resistive torque on the output shaft and effective a gear ratio change at the other output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Inventor: Dennis E. Britt
  • Patent number: 6631796
    Abstract: A vehicle parking brake system having an AUTO selector for selectively establishing an automatic mode and a manual mode, parking brake units, and an electronic control unit operable in the automatic mode to automatically activate the parking brake units to apply a parking brake to vehicle rear left and right wheels (RW1, RW2) when the vehicle is in a parked state, and to automatically de-activate the parking brake units to remove the parking brake from the vehicle wheel, and in the manual mode to selectively apply and remove the parking brake to and from the vehicle wheels according to operations of a MANUAL MODE control switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Yanaka, Shoichi Shono, Toshiaki Hamada
  • Patent number: 6626276
    Abstract: A clutch disk has a hub area with a rotational axis, the hub area carrying a friction lining assembly radially outside of the hub area. A damper mass assembly can move circumferentially around the rotational axis relative to the hub area and the friction lining assembly against the action of an elastic support assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Matthias Diemer, Andreas Orlamünder, Andreas Dau
  • Patent number: 6622835
    Abstract: An electro-hydraulic control mechanism provides controlled engagement pressure for both a torque converter clutch and a shifting torque transmitting mechanism. The control mechanism include a TCC regulator valve that establishes the engagement pressure for the torque converter clutch and a TTM regulator valve that controls the engagement pressure for the torque transmitting mechanisms. An electronically-controlled variable bleed solenoid controls the output pressure level of both of the regulator valves. A control valve is employed to multiplex the output of the regulator valves and to ensure that the torque transmitting mechanism remains engaged during the engagement of the torque converter clutch. The control valve also ensure that the output pressure of the TTM regulator valve is communicated with a manual control valve in the event of an unexpected discontinuance of electrical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Patrick Moorman, Todd Roy Berger, Brian W. Whitmarsh
  • Patent number: 6622584
    Abstract: An actuator for operating the foot pedals of a motor vehicle with the aid of a servomotor. The actuator has two actuating arms which can be alternatingly actuated by selecting the direction of rotation of the servomotor. First and second coupling elements in the form of, respectively, an eccentric device and a pin projecting radially away from the motor shaft are provided to produce this alternating action on either actuating arm. It is thus possible to selectively actuate either the brake pedal or the gas pedal, for example, of a motor vehicle with a mutual device which makes only minimal demands on space and is cost-effective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Inventor: Kurt Stäehle
  • Patent number: 6619455
    Abstract: A clutch disk includes a hub area and a plurality of friction lining elements arranged in sequence in the circumferential direction relative to a clutch disk rotational axis, each providing at least part of an associated friction surface area. The friction lining elements are intended to make frictional contact with the associated opposing friction surface of a flywheel, a pressure plate, or the like. At least one of the friction lining elements is supported on the hub area in such a way that it can move in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Matthias Diemer, Andreas Orlamünder, Andreas Dau
  • Patent number: 6612191
    Abstract: To reduce entire length and radial dimension of a starter, the starter includes a driving lever composed of a lever body and a lever pin as a pivot center of the driving lever body. Further, the lever pin is disposed close to a center case in the radial direction. The dimension between supporting positions of both arm portions supporting the lever pin is set large. To provide the waterproof structure of a starter, a projection provided on a lever seal is inserted into a positioning hole of a lever holder in a lever assembly of a starter. Further, a tip of the projection comes in contact with a peripheral surface of a lever pin at a lower side than the center of the lever pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuo Imanishi, Yasuyuki Wakahara
  • Patent number: 6609602
    Abstract: A centrifugal master friction clutch having an installation device is provided that includes a cover assembly fixed for rotation with an engine flywheel and at least one friction plate fixed for rotation with a transmission input shaft. The cover assembly includes a pressure plate for applying a clamping force against the friction plate and a plurality of flyweights that rotate outward under the effects of centrifugal force to cause the pressure plate to exert a clamping force against the friction plate. The clutch installation device includes a first member rotatably disposed in the cover assembly radially inward of the flyweights. A portion of the first member is configured to engage at least one of the flyweights to force the engaged flyweight to rotate outward. A second member is included for engagably limiting the degree of rotation of the first member. A method of installing a centrifugal clutch is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel V. Gochenour, Martin E. Kummer
  • Patent number: 6609439
    Abstract: The drum supporting structure comprises larger and smaller diameter portions and a radially raised wall portion which are defined by the aluminum drum support, the radially raised wall portion being arranged at an axially base end of the larger diameter portion and the larger diameter portion having seal rings concentrically mounted thereon; a first steel sleeve coaxially fitted to a cylindrical inner wall of the larger diameter bore, the first steel sleeve including a cylindrical major portion which is slidably put on the seal rings and a cylindrical end portion which is slidably and directly supported on the larger diameter portion of the drum support and a second steel sleeve coaxially fitted to a cylindrical outer wall of the smaller diameter portion of the drum support to bear a cylindrical inner wall of the smaller diameter bore of the drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Jatco LTD
    Inventor: Toshio Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 6609438
    Abstract: An adjustable control pedal for a motor vehicle includes an upper arm having first and second substantially parallel and spaced-apart members. The first and second members are rigidly connected together to prevent relative movement therebetween and each have first and second slots formed therein. A lower arm has a lower end carrying a pedal and an upper end extending between the first and second members. A first guide pin is secured to the lower arm and extends into the first slot of the first member and the first slot of the second member. A second guide pin is secured to the lower arm and extends into the second slot of the first member and the second slot of the second member he slots and the guide pins form a sliding two-pin four-slot connection between the upper and lower pedal arms. The guide pins preferably have flat or planar upper and lower engagement surfaces located within the slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Dura Global Technologies, Inc
    Inventors: Richard Scott Bigham, James Robert Allen, Todd Alan Fewins
  • Patent number: 6592488
    Abstract: A differential drive for use on a vehicle to control the transfer of torque between the front and rear axles of a vehicle. The differential drive includes a rotatably driven differential housing supported in a housing. The differential drive also includes a differential gear set arranged and supporting in the differential housing. The differential gear set has at least two side shafts gears and at least two differential gears. The differential drive also includes a torque distribution device having a viscous transmission. The viscous transmission has an inner hub and an outer casing. The inner hub is connected to a first side shaft. The outer casing is connected to one of the side gears. The viscous transmission also connects the output of the first side shaft to one of the side shaft gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: GKN Automotive, Inc.
    Inventor: Theodor Gassmann
  • Patent number: 6591954
    Abstract: A brake is provided that includes a friction disc assembly having two opposing friction discs separated by at least one resilient biasing member. A brake disc is positioned between the friction discs of the friction disc assembly and is splined to rotate with the shaft. A side of each friction disk that faces the brake disc is covered with a friction material. In normal operations, the friction discs are spaced apart from the brake disc. When it is desired to slow the rotation of the shaft, a release member contacts and compresses the friction disc assembly against a housing causing the friction material on each of the friction discs to contact and slow rotation of the brake disc. The present invention is particularly suited for use as a clutch brake for slowing rotation of an input shaft disposed between a clutch and a transmission of a vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Michael D. Aker
  • Patent number: 6591177
    Abstract: A method is described for control of a CVT automatic transmission (1) in which a sensed main pressure (p_hd_act) and a sensed contact pressure (p_s2_act) of a secondary pulley (7) are entered as signals in an electronic transmission control (8). For diagnosis of an error in the sensing of the main pressure (p_hd_act) and/or of the contact pressure (p_s2_act) of the secondary pulley (7) their actual values or comparison variable (|p_hd_act-p_hd_nom|, |p_s2_act-p_s2_nom|) formed therefrom are compared with applicable threshold values (p_hd_min, pd_phd_regdiff, p_s2_min, pd_ps2_regdiff) associated with a range of plausible pressure values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: ZF Batavia, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Bernd Löffler
  • Patent number: 6589133
    Abstract: A range switchover apparatus includes a detent mechanism for holding in respective shift positions a range switchover operating unit capable of switching over a switchover device, which switches over a shift range, among respective shift positions, a driving force stopping unit for preventing a driving force from the drive motor from being transmitted to the range switchover operating unit, a stoppage controlling unit adapted to detect a position of the range switchover operating unit to control the driving force stopping unit so as to hold the range switchover operating unit in a predetermined shift position of the detent mechanism, an environment detecting unit for detecting an environment of the drive motor, and a rotation controlling unit for controlling the drive motor at a predetermined rotational speed in response to a state of the environment detected by the environment detecting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Muneo Kusafuka, Yoshitaka Murase, Hirotoshi Eishima, Kazuo Takemoto, Naoki Ohkoshi
  • Patent number: 6588564
    Abstract: The invention relates to a hub for bicycles and the like, comprising a hub axle and a hub housing concentrically mounted in relation thereto including a bearing device having at least two bearings mounted between the axle and the housing. A rotor (25) for receiving at least one toothed wheel is disposed on the hub axle (4) and a free-wheel device is arranged between the rotor and the housing of the hub, said device having two toothed discs (22, 23), the toothed surfaces of which are pressed against each other by a pretensioning device. The toothed surfaces of which are pressed against each other by a pretensioning device. The toothed discs are mounted ina substantially concentric manner in relation to the hub axle (4) on planes which are aligned perpendicular to the hub axle. The toothed discs are float mounted or fixed so that the toothed discs can be tilted in relation to the hub axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: DT-Swiss AG
    Inventors: Gerrit Jäger, Stephan Spahr
  • Patent number: 6581745
    Abstract: In a pressure type differential limiting clutch, a drive plate and a driven plate provided between a clutch drum for transmitting a driving force to a front drive shaft and a clutch hub for transmitting the driving force to a rear drive shaft are pressed by a pressure force of a cone disk spring provided in a pressure plate, and an initial torque by the cone disk spring acts as the differential limiting torque. At a high speed, a weight in limiter device is moved in a radius direction by a centrifugal force through rotation of the rear drive shaft, enters between cam surfaces formed on the pressure plate and the clutch hub, and pushes and broadens. As a result, the pressure plate 65 moves back against energizing force of the cone disk spring, and the initial torque is cancelled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuo Kanazawa
  • Patent number: 6581486
    Abstract: An integrated circuit tester includes a fail-safe mechanism for moving an integrated circuit chip between an initial position where the integrated circuit chip is inserted into the tester, and a test position where the integrated circuit chips is actually tested. This fail-safe mechanism includes a motor and a shaft which the motor rotates to move the integrated circuit chip. An electronic control circuit can be included to automatically stop the motor when the integrated circuit reaches its initial position, or its test position; but if the control circuit fails to operate properly, then damage to the integrated circuit tester is prevented by the fail-safe mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Unisys Corporation
    Inventors: David John Ditri, Ronald Allen Norell, James Mason Brafford
  • Patent number: 6578443
    Abstract: Disclosed is a shift rod support assembly for a transmission gear shift mechanism comprising a housing fixed to a vehicle body and including a hole through which a shift rod passes; a ball case including a fixed unit that is fixedly mounted to the housing and has a hole through which the shift rod passes, and having a protrusion portion extending toward an inner area of the housing from the fixed unit and a plurality of ball insertion holes; a plurality of balls, each provided in one of the ball insertion holes in a state of contacting the shift rod, the balls rotating as the shift rod undergoes rectilinear and rotational motion; rollers provided in a space formed by the housing and the ball case, the rollers contacting and rotating together with the balls; and play adjustment members for adjusting play between the rollers and the balls by manipulating positioning of the rollers relative to the housing and the ball case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Yong-Seok Cho