Patents Examined by Greg Binda
  • Patent number: 12379000
    Abstract: A constant velocity joint includes an inner race having a main body defining a central opening. The constant velocity joint also includes a shaft member extending through the central opening, wherein the shaft member is staked to the inner race to axially retain the shaft member to the inner race.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey P. Courville, Eduardo R. Mondragon-Parra, Jon N. Miller
  • Patent number: 12379001
    Abstract: A drive axle assembly includes a wheel bearing mounted to an axle housing, a shaft assembly including a first shaft on an inboard side thereof to which a driving force of a power train is transmitted, and a second shaft on an outboard side thereof which is shaft-connected to the inside of the axle housing by a constant-velocity joint and is separably assembled to the first shaft, and a boot assembly including a first end portion fixed to an external ring of the wheel bearing and a second end portion assembled to the shaft assembly to be rotatable relative to the shaft assembly, and configured to restrict rotation of the boot and prevent foreign substances from being introduced therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation, HYUNDAI WIA Corporation
    Inventors: Sung Su Yoo, Seok Ho Bae, Hee Il Kim, Chang Hee Jeong, Yeong Wook Cho, Bum Jae Lee
  • Patent number: 12372135
    Abstract: Driveshaft dampers are provided for use in driveshafts to dampen or attenuate aspects of noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH). Systems and methods for making and using driveshaft dampers are further provided. The driveshaft dampers may be made using a helical-winding process and include attenuation strips with elongate protrusions. Various embodiments of helically-wound driveshaft dampers include a core and one or more attenuation strips helically wound around the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2025
    Assignee: CARAUSTAR INDUSTRIAL AND CONSUMER PRODUCTS GROUP, INC.
    Inventor: Josh Wolfenbarger
  • Patent number: 12359694
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper for a drive train includes an axis of rotation, a multi-flange damper for damping torsional vibrations, a torque limiter unit for limiting a maximum transmissible torque, an outer hub connecting the multi-flange damper to the torque limiter unit for torque transmission, and an inner hub for connection to a transmission input shaft. The multi-flange damper has a plurality of flanges. The torque limiter unit is arranged radially inside the multi-flange damper and includes an inner plate and an outer plate. The outer hub is arranged radially between the multi-flange damper and the torque limiter unit and the inner hub is arranged radially inside the torque limiter unit. The outer hub includes an external toothing engaged with each of the plurality of flanges and an internal toothing engaged with the outer plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jennifer Lau, Romain Kaufmann, Uwe Weller, Jean-Francois Heller, Alain Rusch
  • Patent number: 12359695
    Abstract: A fixed type constant velocity universal joint includes an outer joint member, an inner joint member, eight balls, and a cage. The fixed type constant velocity universal joint has a ball retaining mechanism. A ratio of an axial length from a joint center to an opening-side end surface of the outer joint member to a diameter of each of the balls is within a range of 0.35 to 0.52. A ratio of a width of the cage to the diameter of each of the balls is within a range of 1.63 to 1.80. The ball retaining mechanism includes a cylindrical shaft portion at an end portion of a shaft and an angle restriction stopper surface of the outer joint member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoshige Kobayashi, Masazumi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 12345301
    Abstract: A constant velocity joint assembly includes a housing body having an outer surface and an inner surface extending between a first housing end and a second housing end along a central axis. The inner surface of the housing body defines a raceway. A plurality of rollers are disposed in the raceway. A flexible boot is operably fixed to the housing body, with the flexible boot extending along the central axis. A deflector ring is fixed to the outer surface of the housing body. The deflector ring has a metal inner ring portion and a non-metal outer ring portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Adam J. Tebbe, Ray A. Baker, Scott T. Phillpotts
  • Patent number: 12345300
    Abstract: A motor vehicle shaft assembly has a shaft extending along a longitudinal axis between opposite ends, with the shaft having a male spline adjacent at least one of the opposite ends, and a housing having a through bore extending about the longitudinal axis, with the through bore having a female spline configured for meshed engagement with the male spline to prevent relative torsional movement between the shaft and the housing. At least one of the male and female splines includes a tapered spline extending in oblique relation to the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey P. Courville, Eduardo R. Mondragon-Parra, Jon N. Miller
  • Patent number: 12337341
    Abstract: A manufactured sealed latched sheet metal circular HVAC fitting including a first subcomponent having a HVAC end and a first subcomponent coupling, a second subcomponent having a HVAC end and a second subcomponent coupling, sealant on the first subcomponent or the second subcomponent, and a sealed latched joint created by the connection of the second subcomponent coupling with the first subcomponent coupling, the sealed latched joint using the sealant on the first subcomponent or the second subcomponent as part of the sealed latch joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: DMI Companies, Inc.
    Inventor: Duane E. Fetko
  • Patent number: 12331796
    Abstract: A damper device including a first rotary body; a second rotary body that is rotated relative to the first rotary body; an elastic mechanism portion; and a control plate that includes a radially extending portion that abuts against the elastic mechanism portion and an axially extending portion that is partially housed in at least one of the first rotary body and the second rotary body. The control plate is disposed in only one of the first housing space and the second housing space in the axial direction. The device also includes a first sliding portion that generates first sliding torque; and a second sliding portion that generates second sliding torque. The first sliding torque and the second sliding torque are generated when the first rotary body and the second rotary body are rotated relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Saeki, Keitaro Okada, Tomoki Kouroki
  • Patent number: 12331797
    Abstract: A universal joint or other vehicle driveline assembly includes an inner race, an outer race, and bearings positioned between the races. In some embodiments, the components of the universal joint that are in contact with the bearings are selectively processed to be harder than the other non-contact surfaces of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: Aircraft Gear Corporation
    Inventor: Sean M. Carlini
  • Patent number: 12320387
    Abstract: A drive shaft extends between axial ends and has at least one portion through which an outer diameter of the drive shaft changes through an infinite number of diameters, with the at least one portion extending across at least 15% of an axial distance between the axial ends of the drive shaft. A drive shaft with a generally spiral undulation at its outer periphery is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Mark R. Gurvich, Brayton Reed, Joyel M. Schaefer, Michael King
  • Patent number: 12313113
    Abstract: A flexible shaft arrangement is described herein having a flexible hollow shaft (1, 2) which has an end at the drive side and an end at the output side, wherein the hollow shaft is reinforced sectionally between these ends by a core (3, 4) extending in its interior. Stiffer and more flexible sections can hereby be selectively positioned within the shaft arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: ECP ENTWICKLUNGSGESELLSCHAFT MBH
    Inventors: Daniel Roehn, Reiner Liebing
  • Patent number: 12313129
    Abstract: A constant velocity joint comprises a male element having arms, a female element having a central axis and defining a pair of symmetrical tracks and an outer roller which can roll on one or other of the two tracks via a peripheral rolling surface. The female element comprises at least one bearing surface which limits the rotation of the outer roller around an axis perpendicular to the axis' of the female element and of the arm. With respect to each arm the cross-section profile of each track comprises either two circular arcs having centers of radii offset one from another, or one single circular arc extending over a female element median plane, and the rolling surface has a part spherical shape or a part torical shape. Each track and the rolling surface are capable of contacting each other at a first and second contact points spaced radially from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: GKN Driveline International GmbH
    Inventors: Marc Francois, Hans-Juergen Post
  • Patent number: 12313128
    Abstract: A power transmission device includes an inertia ring, a plate, a plurality of first bolts, a torque transmission member, and a plurality of second bolts. The inertia ring has an annular shape. The inertia ring includes a plurality of through holes. The plurality of through holes are disposed at intervals in a circumferential direction. The plate is disposed on a first side with respect to the inertia ring in an axial direction. The plurality of first bolts are screwed into the plurality of through holes from the first side to fasten the plate to the inertia ring. The torque transmission member is disposed on a second side with respect to the inertia ring in the axial direction. The plurality of second bolts are screwed into the plurality of through holes from the second side to fasten the torque transmission member to the inertia ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: EXEDY Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Uehara
  • Patent number: 12311757
    Abstract: A power transmission mechanism includes an engine including a crankshaft, a flywheel connected to the crankshaft, an electric motor including a rotor to rotate together with a rotary shaft, a damper connected to the rotary shaft and the flywheel, and a driven machine to receive power from the engine and/or the electric motor. The damper is located between the engine and the electric motor in an axial direction of the rotary shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuto Okazaki, Sumio Yagyu
  • Patent number: 12313119
    Abstract: A shaft assembly includes a composite tube and an impact shield. The composite tube has a longitudinal centerline axis and the impact shield may be disposed around the composite tube and may extend along a length of the composite tube. A gap may be defined between the composite tube and the impact shield. Generally, shaft assembly is configured to inhibit impact damage to the composite tube and/or facilitate visual detection of damage from impacts. The shaft assembly may further include a shock absorbing sleeve disposed in the gap between the composite tube and the impact shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: GOODRICH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bradley William Baird, James William Bernard
  • Patent number: 12313143
    Abstract: A shaft vibration absorber for absorbing vibrations of a shaft includes an elastomer body that is reached through by a central longitudinal centre axis. In embodiments, the elastomer body includes holding geometries that protrude in the radial direction and extend in the longitudinal direction for pressing the shaft vibration absorber to the shaft. The holding geometries may be arranged in each case in two first angle windows that lie opposite one another with regard to the longitudinal centre axis with a width of in each case at most 90°. With embodiments, the shaft vibration absorber can configure a radial pressing force of the shaft along a first tuning axis that runs in the radial direction, and the radial pressing force may be greater than a pressing force in a spatial direction that differs therefrom and runs in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: Vibracoustic SE
    Inventors: Markus Duerre, Joschka Gutmann, Christian Paul, Manuel Sommerfeld, Hagen Kessler, Jörg Hess
  • Patent number: 12297875
    Abstract: A power shunt for shunting rotary power from a load device includes a shear thickening fluid (STF) and a chamber that contains the STF. The power shunt further includes a drive shaft housed radially within a drive side section of the chamber and protruding outward from an end of the chamber for coupling to a lock configured to prevent rotation of the drive shaft. The power shunt further includes a load shaft housed radially within a load side section of the chamber and protruding outward from another end of the chamber for coupling to the load device. The power shunt further includes a drive turbine housed radially within the drive side section and coupled to the drive shaft. The power shunt further includes a load turbine housed radially within the load side section at a fixed operational distance from the drive turbine and coupled to the load shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: Moshun, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy John Boundy, Steven Michael Barger, Terence Michael Lydon, Richard Michael Lang, Wilfredo Gonzalez, Jr., Darren Michael Boundy, Eric McHugh, David Schuda, George L. Wilson, IV, Gary W. Grube, Jason K. Resch, Mario F. DeRango, John Edward Buchalo, Richard A. Herbst, Kurt Estes, Evan Anderson
  • Patent number: 12297874
    Abstract: A driver for coupling a driving device and a driven device includes a core defining a plurality of corner chamfers and a casing formed on and encasing the core. The casing has a contoured perimeter surface and a variable casing thickness, and is compressible during an interference fit installation to a coupling socket to provide a non-lubricated coupling which has zero backlash and substantially no running noise. The core is made of a metal-based material and includes a shaft bore for receiving an input shaft. In an illustrative example, the driver core is made of a stainless steel core and the casing is made of a high wear thermoset urethane material. The metal core can be recycled from the coated driver by removal of the polymeric casing, then recoated with a new casing to form a new coated driver including the recycled metal core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: Morrison Timing Screw Co.
    Inventors: Nick Lynn Wilson, Ryan Finke, Caleb J. Knepper
  • Patent number: 12292089
    Abstract: A ball-CV style transmission suitable for use in a Positive Displacement Motor (PDM). A shaft provides shaft wings received into housing receptacles on a housing. A Unitary Torque Transfer Element (UTTE) is interposed between each shaft wing and housing within each housing receptacle, with a spherical surface on the UTTE received into a recess preferably on the housing. The UTTEs float within their corresponding housing receptacles so as to maintain torque transfer contact between all thrust surfaces during articulated rotation of the shaft with respect to the housing. The UTTEs preferably float generally radially towards the shaft centerline as angular deflection increases during articulated rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: Abaco Drilling Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Jing Lu, Peter Thomas Cariveau, Damon T. Landrum, Steven C. Gaare