Patents Examined by Ernesto A Suarez
  • Patent number: 12214650
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an electric drive axle. In one example, a tube is pressed into a portion of a differential housing, wherein a mount, a reinforcement ring, a wheel hub assembly, and a brake housing are physically coupled to the tube. The tube defines an axle path of an electric drive axle from an electric motor to a wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: DANA HEAVY VEHICLE SYSTEMS GROUP, LLC
    Inventors: Marcio Massari, Cassio Leme, Bruno Marocchio, Vinicius Ventura, Paula Nomura Watanabe
  • Patent number: 12214670
    Abstract: A transmission mechanism transmits rotation transmitted from a distribution differential gear mechanism to an output member. The distribution differential gear mechanism, a first distribution output gear, and a first engagement device are disposed on a first axis. A first rotary electric machine and a first rotary electric machine drive gear are disposed on a second axis. A transmission engagement device of the transmission mechanism is disposed on a third axis. An axial direction of the first rotary electric machine includes a first axial side where the first rotary electric machine is disposed with respect to the first rotary electric machine drive gear, and a second axial side opposite to the first axial side. The distribution differential gear mechanism is disposed on the second axial side of the first distribution output gear and the first engagement device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kato, Takuyo Maeda, Kyosuke Komizo, Shohei Tokoro
  • Patent number: 12209617
    Abstract: An actuating device for a transmission has an adjusting element which can be moved in rotation by way of an actuator. At least one actuating element is arranged on one side of the adjusting element and can be moved in translation as a function of a rotation movement of the adjusting element. Roller bodies between the adjusting element and the actuating element concerned are arranged in such manner that each roller body engages in a ramp-shape contoured groove of the adjusting element and in a ramp-shape contoured groove of the actuating element concerned. The roller bodies, which are arranged between the adjusting element and the actuating element concerned, are arranged in at least two concentric roller body rings. Alternatively, or in addition, bearing bodies which serve to support the adjusting element on a housing-side base element are arranged in at least two concentric bearing body rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Vyacheslav Brushkivskyy, Patrick Kniess
  • Patent number: 12208679
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a motive power transmission device equipped with a first input shaft, a second input shaft to which a motive power from a motor is input, a rear wheel-side output shaft from which a motive power is output to a first driving wheel, a front wheel-side output shaft from which a motive power is output to a second driving wheel, and a planetary gear device that has, as three rotating elements, a sun gear to which the second input shaft is coupled, a carrier to which the front wheel-side output shaft is coupled, and a ring gear to which the first input shaft and the rear wheel-side output shaft are coupled engages an engagement device when a torque of the rear wheel-side output shaft is equal to or smaller than a threshold with the motor outputting the motive power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yosuke Akiyama, Akira Ijichi, Taichi Kobayashi, Koji Takaira, Akinori Homan, Yoshio Itou, Kunihiko Usui
  • Patent number: 12209646
    Abstract: A hybrid transmission device with a mechanical continuously variable transmission and a control method thereof are provided. The device includes an input shaft assembly, a front planetary gear transmission assembly, a rear planetary gear transmission assembly, an output shaft, and a mechanical continuously variable transmission. Single transmission modes and hybrid transmission modes are implemented through combination and engagement/disengagement of brakes and clutches. The device and the method realize free switching among various transmission modes and integrates the single transmission modes and the hybrid transmission modes, thereby increasing the degree of freedom in adjustment and expanding the speed regulation range. Input and output shafts of a front cup wheel and ring disc transmission mechanism and a rear cup wheel and ring disc transmission mechanism are coaxial, so that the structure is compact and intermediate rollers can stably and reliably transmit large torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: JIANGSU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Zhen Zhu, Yihan Zhang, Yingfeng Cai, Long Chen, Xiaodong Sun, Changgao Xia, Xiang Tian, Jie Sheng, Rui Hou
  • Patent number: 12203536
    Abstract: A gear train includes at least four gears sequentially engaged, multiple links configured to support the rotation shafts of the gears, and pins configured to fix the rotation shafts of the gears to the link, wherein the pins are installed such that, among the rotation shafts of the gears, two non-adjacent rotation shafts have both ends fixed to the link and one of adjacent rotation shafts has only one end fixed to the link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Woo Hyun Lim, Ki Seok Kim, Kyoung Chul Min, Jong Sool Park, Dae In Lee, Yeo Hae Lee
  • Patent number: 12196308
    Abstract: A transmission assembly has more than one reduction ratio. For this purpose, the transmission assembly can comprise a planetary transmission in which the annulus can rotate freely in a first position and in which the annulus is held fixed against rotation in a second position. A method of operating a transmission assembly is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Stauder, Miroslav Kajic, Mathias Haag, Jürgen Balz
  • Patent number: 12188557
    Abstract: A power transmission device includes a transmission mechanism including a planetary gear set, a first engagement element, and a second engagement element. The first engagement element is a band brake configured to be engaged when the transmission mechanism is in a low gear speed. The second engagement element is a multi-plate friction clutch configured to be engaged when the transmission mechanism is in a high gear speed. The multi-plate friction clutch includes a driven plate and a drive plate. The band brake overlaps with the driven plate and the drive plate of the multi-plate friction clutch in a radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Jatco Ltd
    Inventors: Hiroki Uehara, Masumi Fujikawa, Toshikazu Oshidari
  • Patent number: 12181003
    Abstract: Disclosed is a control mechanism for a clutch, including a power unit, a drive unit, a shift fork and a clutch press unit. The power unit includes an actuator motor and a power shaft; the drive unit includes a shift cam and a clutch cam which are both fixed to the power shaft; the shift fork is connected to the shift cam; and the clutch press unit includes a press part with two ends provided with a power portion and a pivot portion respectively. A press portion is disposed in a middle of the press part. The power portion is connected to the clutch cam, an elastic alignment structure is disposed between the pivot portion and a housing, and a return portion, corresponding to a position between the pivot portion and the press portion, is disposed at the press part and is provided with a return structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG XINKE TRANSMISSION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventor: Jianhua Jin
  • Patent number: 12173791
    Abstract: [Problem] A power transmission unit that improves quietness of a gear mechanism and prevents a size of the unit from increasing when a brake rotor is installed around an input shaft of the gear mechanism. [Solution] The power transmission unit includes an electric driving motor with a motor shaft, a gear mechanism, and an output shaft, which are accommodated in a transmission housing, wherein the power of the motor shaft is transmitted to the output shaft via the gear mechanism. The gear mechanism has a gear shaft rotatably supported on the transmission housing and a first helical gear provided on the gear shaft. The power transmission unit further includes a connecting member provided with a tubular portion fitted to the motor shaft and the gear shaft so as to allow the motor shaft and the gear shaft to synchronously rotate. The connecting member is integrally provided with a brake rotor on the outer periphery thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: KANZAKI KOKYUKOKI MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Kiyooka, Ryo Motooka, Ken Morishita, Hitoshi Sawada, Akihiro Ima
  • Patent number: 12173757
    Abstract: A clutch device includes a clutch center including center-side fitting teeth, and a pressure plate including pressure-side fitting teeth. When a center-side assist cam surface and a pressure-side assist cam surface contact each other, an end of each of the pressure-side fitting teeth in a first direction is located ahead, in the first direction, of an end of a corresponding one of the center-side fitting teeth in a second direction, and at least portions of some of the pressure-side fitting teeth overlap with the center-side fitting teeth when seen in radial directions of the output shaft, and at least portions of others of the pressure-side fitting teeth do not overlap with the center-side fitting teeth when seen in radial directions of the output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA F.C.C.
    Inventors: Masayuki Nonaka, Yuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 12169003
    Abstract: A wet-type friction engaging device includes a first friction member and a second friction member defining a groove formed on a surface of a base facing the first friction member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Jatco Ltd
    Inventor: Michinori Matsuo
  • Patent number: 12169019
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an assembly comprising a first motor positioned on a first shaft, a second motor positioned on a second shaft, a first wet clutch selectively coupled to the first shaft, a second wet clutch selectively coupled to a drive axle, a third wet clutch selectively coupled to the first shaft, and a brake clutch fixed to a housing of the assembly. The assembly comprises a planetary gearset positioned on the second shaft having gears selectively coupled to the third wet clutch, the first wet clutch or to the brake clutch. The assembly comprises a first one-way clutch and a second one-way clutch opposing the first one-way clutch, the first one-way clutch and the second one-way clutch selectively coupled to the first shaft, where the first one-way clutch and the second one-way clutch are directly connected to two gear trains to drive a PTO shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: DANA LIMITED
    Inventors: Weiguo Zhao, Filip Van Raepenbusch, Filip D. Schacht, Quan Liu
  • Patent number: 12162357
    Abstract: A drive arrangement for a torque converter is disclosed herein. The drive arrangement includes a first drive plate element configured to be connected to a torque converter cover and configured to secure a rotor of an electric motor against the torque converter cover. A second drive plate element is configured to be connected to a flex plate, and the first and second drive plate elements are connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Scott Angel, Daniel Linton, Brian Zaugg, John Ramsey
  • Patent number: 12140189
    Abstract: A shifting device (1) for the powertrain of a motor vehicle, including a control shaft (10) for adjusting a control element (9), the control shaft (10) has a first sub-section (15) which can be driven by an actuator (36) and a second sub-section (16) which is designed to adjust the control element (9). The first sub-section (15) is rotatably mounted relative to the second sub-section (16). A spring element (11), via which a torque of the first sub-section (15) can be transmitted to the second sub-section (16), is provided between the two sub-sections (15, 16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jochen Loeffelmann, Viktor Ruder, Felix Reuss, Thomas Huemmer, Alexander Wagner, Alexander Wirth
  • Patent number: 12140190
    Abstract: A multiple-disc friction clutch has a clutch center including a first and second clutch centers. The first clutch center is axially supported by a main shaft in a relatively non-rotatable manner. The second clutch center is supported by the first clutch center in a relatively rotatable manner and holds a clutching part between a pressure plate and the second clutch center. The first and second clutch centers have a torque limiter mechanism and a torque limiter-disabling mechanism therebetween. The torque limiter mechanism transmits power between the first and second clutch centers and reduces clutch torque by acting on the pressure plate due to relative rotation between the first and second clutch centers. The torque limiter-disabling mechanism inhibits operation of a torque limiter of the torque limiter mechanism by preventing the relative rotation when power is transmitted from the first clutch center to the second clutch center in an acceleration direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoya Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 12135073
    Abstract: A mechanical-double ring-hydraulic composite transmission mechanism includes an input member, a convergence mechanism, a hydraulic transmission mechanism, a double ring mechanism, an output member, a clutch assembly, and a brake assembly. The clutch assembly connects a left planetary gear train to a right planetary gear train. The clutch assembly connects the input member to the hydraulic transmission mechanism, the double ring mechanism, the left planetary gear train, and the right planetary gear train. The clutch assembly connects the hydraulic transmission mechanism to the right planetary gear train. The clutch assembly connects the double ring mechanism to the left planetary gear train. The clutch assembly connects the left planetary gear train and the right planetary gear train to the output member. A continuous transmission ratio between the input member and the output member is provided by adjusting a displacement ratio of the hydraulic transmission mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: JIANGSU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Qing Yu, Zhen Zhu, Rui Hou, Long Chen, Yingfeng Cai, Xiang Tian, Xiaodong Sun, Jiangyi Han, Changgao Xia, Yihan Zhang, Jie Sheng
  • Patent number: 12129913
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electric drive axle, including a driving assembly, a power coupling gear, a first gear transmission assembly, a second gear transmission assembly and two half shafts connected by a differential, the driving assembly is used to drive the differential. In the above way, the electric drive axle and the electric vehicle realize 3 shifting speeds, and can timely engage in different speeds according to the vehicle load, road conditions, transportation time requirements, etc., so as to realize the efficient operation of the vehicle, improve the operation efficiency, reduce energy consumption, meet the power demand of commercial vehicles with diverse loads and working conditions, and obtain high transportation efficiency and economic benefits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: TOP GEAR POWERTRAIN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Shan Li, Yueyue Deng, Jing Deng, Hongxiang Yan, Kun Xu, Rongyue Liu, Hongbo Wang
  • Patent number: 12129915
    Abstract: A locking differential assembly includes a differential case defining an axis of rotation. A lock collar is selectably engageable with a first side gear to selectably prevent the first side gear and a second side gear from rotating relative to the differential case. A coil disposed at an end of the differential case. An armature selectably magnetically actuatable by the coil. An armature position indicator arm rigidly attached to the armature for simultaneous movement with the armature. At least two relay pin assemblies are each connected to the lock collar and connected to the armature to space the lock collar a predetermined distance from the armature for translation parallel to the axis of rotation. A sensor connected to the differential case to detect a proximity of the armature position indicator arm to the sensor and to output an electrically detectable signal indicative of an engagement status of the lock collar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Rupesh Madhukar Surve, Aniket Khanderao Yadav
  • Patent number: 12117072
    Abstract: A drivetrain component provides an electronically controlled, overrunning drivetrain disconnect. The drivetrain component includes a case having an annular wall portion with a plurality of pockets in one side. The carrier is supported for movement relative to and independently of the case. The carrier includes a notch plate. The differential gear set has a pinion shaft tied to the carrier, pinion gears mounted on the pinion shaft, differential gears engaging the pinion gears, and differential gear shafts connected to the differential gears. The drivetrain component includes a first locking structure and a second locking structure. Both the first and second locking structures are on the same side of the notch plate. The first locking structure couples the case to the carrier for torque transmission from the case to the carrier in a first direction only, wherein the first locking structure does not inhibit carrier rotation in a second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: Means Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: John P. Erickson, Earl A. Getchel, Conner S. Jurs