Patents Examined by Greg Binda
  • Patent number: 11767877
    Abstract: A plunging assembly of a driveshaft includes: an outer housing having a bore having a plurality of outer ball grooves extending in a longitudinal direction; an inner shaft being disposed to be able to undergo relative movement in the longitudinal direction in the bore of the outer housing and having a plurality of inner ball grooves that are paired respectively with the outer ball grooves to form a plurality of ball tracks; a plunging unit connecting the outer housing and the inner shaft to allow a plunging motion and a rotational power transmission between the outer housing and the inner shaft; and a stopper that is provided in the bore of the outer housing to limit relative movement of the inner housing and the inner shaft in a direction in which the inner shaft is inserted into the bore. The outer housing has a mounting hole communicating with the bore, and the stopper is a plug member that is inserted into the mounting hole in a state that a frontal end portion thereof is exposed to the bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: ERAE AMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Se Jung Park, Dal Soo Jang, Do Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 11767941
    Abstract: Apparatus for hydrostatic testing of items having a flanged opening, such as flanged pipe sections, which apparatus contains a actuator having a actuator shaft attached to a blind flange, which actuator can be powered from a power source on a remotely operated vehicle, which items include those items located on land as well as subsea. Also provided is a remotely operated vehicle having a power source such as a hydraulic system that is used to operate the actuator on the hydrostatic testing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Inventor: Randall M Smith
  • Patent number: 11767876
    Abstract: A power transmission shaft includes a metal shaft member, and a resin shaft member connected to the metal shaft member in an axial direction of the power transmission shaft. The resin shaft member is made of fiber reinforced plastic. The metal shaft member and the resin shaft member are joined to each other through a close-contact fitting portion between a male spline, which is formed in an outer surface of the metal shaft member, and a female spline formed by press-fitting the male spline into the resin shaft member. An edge is formed at a radially outer edge portion of a press-fitting-start end surface of the male spline of the metal shaft member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Taku Itagaki, Minoru Ishijima
  • Patent number: 11761493
    Abstract: A boot for a shaft assembly joint and method of construction thereof are provided. The boot has a flexible hollow wall extending about a central axis between a first end and a second end. The first end has a skirt portion configured for snug engagement with an outer surface of a housing of the constant velocity joint and the second end has a neck portion configured for snug engagement with an outer surface of a shaft extending away from the constant velocity joint. At least one of the skirt portion and the neck portion has interior surface formed of a first material having a first coefficient of friction and an exterior surface formed of a second material having a second coefficient of friction, the first coefficient of friction being greater than the second coefficient of friction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Brian J. Kleinfeld, Jeffrey P. Courville, Eduardo R. Mondragon-Parra, James M. Petrowski
  • Patent number: 11754124
    Abstract: A torsional vibration reduction apparatus has coil springs. The coil springs are received in paired input member side coil spring receiving portions and an output member side coil spring receiving portion. The paired input member side coil spring receiving portions comprise forward rotation side and reverse rotation side guide portions between forward rotation side and reverse rotation side spring pedestals. The output member side coil spring receiving portion comprises forward rotation side and reverse rotation side guide portions between forward rotation side and reverse rotation side spring pedestals. In forward rotation and reverse rotation, since the displacement of the coil springs under the centrifugal force is received by the guide portions and the vertical component force of the elastic force is small, sliding resistance is suppressed, the hysteresis torque is reduced, additive components are not required, and the installation positions of the coil springs cannot be restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: UNIPRES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yutaka Murata, Atsushi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11754125
    Abstract: A universal joint for vehicle drivetrains and the like that eliminates the spinning of bearing caps relative to yoke years and trunnions and inhibits inadvertent spreading of opposing ears of a yoke away from each other under increasing torsional loads to reduce wear and failure of the joint. Broadly, the disclosed universal joint includes a central body having a plurality of pairs of opposite apertures, first and second yokes that are disposed about the central body over respective ones of the pairs of apertures, and a plurality of trunnions inserted through the yoke ears and into the apertures of the body to pivotally secure the yokes to the body. Each trunnion is non-rotatable relative to its respective yoke and a locking assembly inhibits movement of each opposite pair of trunnions away from each other thereby inhibiting movement of the opposite ears of each respective yoke away from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: SPIDERTRAX, INC.
    Inventor: Thomas John Kingston
  • Patent number: 11754144
    Abstract: A damper device includes a first rotor, a second rotor, a plurality of elastic members and a stopper mechanism. The stopper mechanism includes a first stopper hole, a second stopper hole and a plurality of stop members. The first and second stopper holes are provided on both circumferential sides of each of a plurality of first window holes of the second rotor so as to circumferentially extend therefrom. One or both of the first and second stopper holes communicates at one end thereof with each first window hole and extends at the other end thereof to a position radially outside one of a plurality of second window holes of the second rotor. The stop members are fixed to the first rotor. Each stop member axially penetrates each of the first and second stopper holes and is circumferentially movable within each of the first and second stopper holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: EXEDY Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Uehara
  • Patent number: 11746832
    Abstract: A torsion damping device for a vehicle transmission including a first rotary element and a second rotary element which are able to move in rotation relative to one another about an axis against the action of a spring acting circumferentially between these, a seat being positioned on one end of the spring, this seat comprising a first axial guidance arrangement providing axial guidance between the first rotary element and the seat, and a second axial guidance arrangement providing axial guidance between the second rotary element and the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: VALEO EMBRAYAGES
    Inventors: Pascal Dast, Gabriel Bouche
  • Patent number: 11732746
    Abstract: A drive shaft made from composite materials that comprises a hollow body and a flange that is integrally formed with the hollow body. The hollow body is adapted to rotating around an associated rotation axis and is made of a first composite material. The flange is made of a second composite material and arranged at an axial end of the hollow body. The flange comprises at least two separate plates that branch out from the hollow body at the axial end. The flange further comprises a mounting section that is configured to be mounted to an external component and comprises a plurality of holes that is adapted to accommodate coupling means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Rupert Pfaller, Moritz Buesing
  • Patent number: 11732759
    Abstract: A flexible coupling for coupling a first shaft and a second shaft includes a first body and a second body. The first body includes a first end to be fixed to the first shaft, a second end to be fixed to the second shaft and a first tooth, fixed to the radially inner face. The second body is secured to the first body, and has a radially outer face and a second tooth fixed to the radially outer face. The first tooth and the second tooth come into contact when a torque is applied to the first end of the first body so as to transmit the torque to the second end of the first body by the intermediary of the second body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Stéphane Rousselin, Mathieu Raymond Paul Sezeur, Frédéric Raymond Renault
  • Patent number: 11719285
    Abstract: A damper device includes an input shaft member to which a driving force from a crankshaft of an internal combustion engine is input, an output shaft member capable of outputting the driving force transmitted from the input shaft member, an input side cam and an output side cam respectively connected to the input shaft member and the output shaft member, and a damper bearing pivotable on the input side cam or the output side cam, wherein a damper bearing assembly has a bearing shaft supporting a plurality of damper bearings, bearing axes of the plurality of damper bearings are arranged along a bearing shaft axis of the bearing shaft, the bearing shaft is orthogonal to a rotation axis, and a shaft support portion supporting the bearing shaft, is provided between the adjacent damper bearings of the damper bearing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroki Inata
  • Patent number: 11713787
    Abstract: A flexible coupling includes an input coupler including an inner face, an output coupler including an inner face, and a plurality of rigid linkages. Each rigid linkage is coupled between an input attachment point coupled to the inner face of the input coupler and an output attachment point coupled to the inner face of the output coupler. Each rigid linkage is pivotably and slidably coupled to the input attachment point and the output attachment point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: NABORS LUX 2 SARL
    Inventor: Siamak Sand
  • Patent number: 11712925
    Abstract: A half-shaft assembly includes a first constant velocity (CV) joint, a second CV joint and an axial movement joint connected between the first CV joint and the second CV joint. The axial movement joint includes a first shaft coupled to the first CV joint and a second shaft coupled to the second CV joint, wherein mechanical input received on the first shaft is communicated to the second shaft, and wherein the second shaft slides axially within the first shaft. The axial movement joint further includes an axial boot cover coupled on a first end to the first shaft and on a second end to the second shaft that accommodates axial movement of the first shaft relative to the second shaft. The first constant velocity (CV) joint is coupled to provide torsional input received at an input to the first shaft, the first CV joint having a first CV boot cover. The second CV joint coupled to provide torsional output received from the second shaft to an output, the second CV joint having a second CV boot cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: TEXTRON INC.
    Inventor: Hunter Scott Davis
  • Patent number: 11708860
    Abstract: A constant velocity housing is provided to couple a plunging CV joint with a transaxle. The constant velocity comprises an elongate housing configured to retain the plunging CV joint and a splined shaft configured to engage with a transaxle. A locking system removably retains the splined shaft within the transaxle. The locking system comprises a lock pin in mechanical communication with pins slidably retained within radial holes disposed in the splined shaft underneath a snap-ring. An actuator moves the lock pin to push the pins to operably change a diameter of the snap-ring. When the actuator is loosened, the snap-ring constricts to a diameter less than the diameter of the splined shaft, allowing removal of the splined shaft from the transaxle. When the actuator is fully tightened, the snap-ring assumes a diameter greater than the diameter of the splined shaft, such that the spline shaft remains engaged with the transaxle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Inventor: Robby Gordon
  • Patent number: 11708861
    Abstract: A spline connection having a hub with a toothing profile on the inner circumference, an axle journal having a toothing profile on an outer circumferential portion, a shoulder for axial support and/or abutment against the hub, and a tensioning device for axially bracing the axle journal with the hub. The hub has a constant toothing profile and the axle journal has a first portion and a second portion with different toothing profiles. The first portion is arranged on the insertion side to be further away from the shoulder than the second portion and has a constant toothing profile with play with respect to the toothing profile of the hub. The second portion is arranged on the shoulder side and has a toothing profile which has reduced tooth spaces compared with the first portion and which is play-free with respect to the toothing profile of the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Inventors: Gregor Schaaf, Wolfgang Heise, Georg Schäfer, Paul Holzfuß
  • Patent number: 11698085
    Abstract: A cover for a rod end of an actuator comprises a mounting collar for surrounding and mounting to a portion of the rod end. The collar is deformable such that it may be mounted over a rod eye mounted to the rod end. The cover further comprises a shield extending from the collar and shaped such that when attached to the rod end the shield shields a portion of rod end to prevent fluid or foreign object ingress to the rod end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignees: GOODRICH AEROSPACE SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITED, GOODRICH ACTUATION SYSTEMS LIMITED
    Inventors: Jithin Athimannil, Chandru Revanna, Jeremy Kracke, Richard McKay
  • Patent number: 11698109
    Abstract: A constant velocity joint is provided with at least a pair of tracks whose geometry is defined based on ball path that follows a parametric equation and the parametric function is in the form of a polynomial displacement function of a fourth order or larger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Eduardo R. Mondragon-Parra, James M. Petrowski, Jun J. Lu, Jenny C. Ho
  • Patent number: 11698108
    Abstract: A tripot housing and method of manufacture thereof. The tripot housing includes a housing body extending along an axis between a first end having an end wall and an open second end. A drive shaft extends from the end wall along the axis away from the second end. The housing body has an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface defines a guide channel that extends between the first end and the second end. The outer surface has a first region extending axially along a direction from the first end toward the second end to a shoulder that extends radially outwardly from the first region. The outer surface has a second region extending axially from the shoulder toward the second end. A ring has an inner surface disposed in an interference fit on first region and an outer surface extending radially outwardly from the second region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventor: Anthony A. Sainz
  • Patent number: 11692585
    Abstract: A drive shaft has a central tubular portion formed of a polymer composite with imbedded fibers. It extends between a first end and a second end. The central tubular portion has an outer peripheral surface. There is at least one ring on the outer peripheral surface of the central tubular portion. A method of repairing a composite material tube includes the steps of (a) identifying a damaged area on a composite tube, and (b) placing a patch on a surface of the tube and over the damaged area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventors: Brayton Reed, Joyel M. Schaefer, Michael King, Mark R. Gurvich
  • Patent number: 11686350
    Abstract: A tripot housing includes a housing body that extends between a first housing end and a second housing end along a longitudinal central axis. The housing body defines a guide channel that extends from the first housing end toward the second housing end. The guide channel has a first wall, a second wall, and a third wall that extends between the first wall and the second wall. An elliptical contact surface area transitions the first wall with the third wall and the second wall with the third wall, with the elliptical contact surface areas being configured for engagement with an outer roller of a roller assembly to inhibit a locking condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventor: Eduardo R. Mondragon-Parra