Patents Examined by Ha D. Ho
  • Patent number: 9032822
    Abstract: The arrangement of driven gears on a countershaft in a main speed change mechanism is shortened in an axial direction, whereby the main speed change mechanism can be made compact in the axial direction. Driven gears on a countershaft of a main speed change mechanism are successively arranged from front to rear in descending order of speed. A sub-low-speed drive gear for a sub-speed change mechanism is provided in front of the highest-speed driven gear on the countershaft, and the next-highest-speed driven gear serves as a sub-high-speed drive gear for the sub-speed change mechanism. A sub-low-speed driven gear and a sub-high-speed driven gear for the sub-speed change mechanism are provided on an output shaft to be engaged with the sub-low-speed drive gear and the next-highest-speed driven gear, respectively, and the highest-speed driven gear, the sub-low-speed drive gear, and the next-highest-speed driven gear are caused to overlap in a fore-and-aft direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventor: Kenichiro Tsuji
  • Patent number: 9027440
    Abstract: A transmission, for a motor vehicle with an auxiliary drive (EM), having a first housing part (2a), a second housing part, a transmission shaft (GW), an auxiliary drive shaft which can be driven by the auxiliary drive (EM), a lay shaft (VW) that is positioned axially parallel to the transmission shaft (GW) and coaxial to the auxiliary drive shaft. The lay shaft (VW) is connected, via a spur wheel stage (Z22, Z23) with the transmission shaft (GW), and the lay shaft (VW) is connected in a rotationally fixed manner with the auxiliary drive shaft and is supported on both sides of the spur wheel stage (Z22, Z23) in a bearing device (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Thomas Schneider, Uwe Firzlaff, Franz Schmidberger, Markus Hoher
  • Patent number: 9027426
    Abstract: A synchronization device for a transmission includes a sliding sleeve, a blocking synchronizer ring and a change wheel. In a force flow region between the blocking synchronizer ring and the change wheel, ramps for producing a servo force axial with respect to the shaft are provided on at least one component part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Hartmut Roper
  • Patent number: 9027430
    Abstract: A shift drum structure for a drum-type transmission in which a shift fork moving on a shift fork shaft in an axial direction while guided by a guide groove in response to a turn of a shift drum, changes speeds by sliding a shifter member on a transmission driving shaft pivotally supporting a transmission gear, the shift drum. The shift drum includes a cylindrical drum main body and drum spindles projecting outward from drum end walls on the respective two sides of the drum main body, and the guide groove formed in an outer peripheral surface of the drum main body in a circumferential direction, wherein in the shift drum, a work groove is formed in the outer peripheral surface of the drum main body from one end surface to an opposite end surface of the drum main body, or to the guide groove near the opposite end surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimasa Mitsubori, Seiji Hamaoka, Hiromi Sumi, Kazuhiro Norita, Yasushi Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 9027442
    Abstract: Output gears are disposed so as to be movable toward and counter to plural second input gears to which rotation of the motor is transmitted, and so as to be biased toward the plural second input gears. A cam, which has plural recesses provided at the periphery thereof, is disposed at the inside of the output gear. The cam is rotated, and a pin of the output gear enters the recess, so that the output gear is moved toward the second input gear, and the output gear is engaged with the second input gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryohei Shigematsu, Kiyoshi Nakajima, Kenji Murakami, Takahiro Fujii, Shinji Iino, Hiroshi Yagame
  • Patent number: 9021909
    Abstract: A compound transmission shift mechanism is disclosed. The shift mechanism includes a plurality of gears configured on at least one transmission shaft with at least one synchronizer configured to engage at least two of the plurality of gears. The shift mechanism includes a control system configured to engage and position the synchronizer into alignment with the at least two of the plurality of gears. Additionally, the shift mechanism includes at least one damping assembly configured on the control system and operatively connected to the synchronizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Josevaldo Roberto Fernandez
  • Patent number: 9021906
    Abstract: A double clutch transmission of countershaft design having a central shaft and a concentric hollow transmission shaft, one countershaft, and two power-shift elements. Two hollow shafts are disposed on the countershaft coaxially to the countershaft, each of which can be fixed, via one shift device, to the countershaft, and to which at least two gearwheels are fixed. A further hollow shaft is coaxially provided on either the central or hollow transmission shafts and can be connected, via a shift device, to the central or hollow transmission shaft, and to which at least two further gearwheels of the gear stages are fixed. At least three transmission ratios are possible by engaging three of the gear stages on the shift-element side into the power flow, thereby enabling one transmission ratio to be at least partially implemented by a respective sole engagement on the shift-element side into the power flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Ralf Dreibholz, Juergen Wafzig, Michael Wechs, Markus Renninger, Thomas Rosemeier, Johannes Kaltenbach, Rudolf Kauffeldt
  • Patent number: 9021908
    Abstract: A hydraulic system of an electric vehicle may comprise: an oil container; a first and a second clutch driving circuits connected in parallel; an internal pump driven by a driving system of the electric vehicle; a first check valve connected in series at an outlet side of the internal pump; an external pump driven by an external pump motor; and a second check valve connected in series at an outlet side of the external pump. The first check valve and the internal pump connected in series and the second check valve and the external pump connected in series are connected in parallel between the oil container and the first and second clutch driving circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignees: Shenzhen BYD Auto R&D Company Limited, BYD Company Limited
    Inventors: Yi Ren, Shenglin Yang, Jun Li
  • Patent number: 9016156
    Abstract: A dog clutch control apparatus for an automated transmission includes a rotary shaft, a dog clutch transmission mechanism including a clutch ring, a clutch hub, a sleeve including a spline, an axial driving device, a dog clutch portion provided at the clutch ring, a rotation speed detection sensor, the spline including high teeth and a low tooth, clutch rear teeth and clutch front teeth formed at the dog clutch portion, and a control unit controlling an operation of the axial driving device based on a deceleration gradient of a rotation speed of either one of the sleeve and the clutch ring detected by the rotation speed detection sensor and controlling the axial driving device so that a decreased thrust load is applied to the clutch rear teeth from the sleeve in a case where the deceleration gradient is smaller than a first predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Iwasaki, Yusuke Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9016155
    Abstract: A power transmission unit includes a first input shaft and a second input shaft which can be mutually driven by a motor shaft in opposite directions. A driven shaft can be coupled, depending on the desired sense of rotation of the driven shaft, to the first or to the second input shaft, and can engage with a first output shaft and with a second output shaft. The first output shaft can be directly coupled with the first input shaft via a first magneto-rheological clutch, and the second output shaft can be directly coupled with the second input shaft via a second magneto-rheological clutch. A magneto-rheological clutch includes a coil powered by wireless energy transmission between a sender connected to a stationary housing and a receiver rotating with the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Maxon Motor AG
    Inventors: Raniero Pittini, Max Erick Busse-Grawitz
  • Patent number: 9003924
    Abstract: A cup-shaped flexible externally toothed gear of a wave gear device comprises a cylindrical body part, and an external-teeth area thereof includes a pushed portion pushed radially outward by a wave generator and a groove formed in a position adjacent to the pushed portion toward a diaphragm. The reaction force of the wave generator can be reduced because the groove is formed to partially reduce thickness in a portion that does not affect the root strength of the external teeth. The increase in root stress can be suppressed when the roots of the external teeth are thickened, and root strength can be effectively increased. The load torque of the wave gear device can thereby be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Satoru Kanai
  • Patent number: 9003907
    Abstract: Dual coupling gear mechanism for a motor vehicle, having a first input shaft and a second input shaft and having a first and a second countershaft, the input shafts and the countershafts being connected to each other by means of a plurality of shiftable wheel sets in order to establish at least seven forward gear stages and at least one reverse gear stage. At least one wheel set has a fixed wheel which is connected to one of the input shafts and two loose wheels which are rotatably supported on the first and on the second countershaft, respectively, and which are in engagement with the fixed wheel. An electric engine is connected to a loose wheel of one of the wheel sets or can be connected thereto by means of a shift clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: GETRAG Getriebe- und Zahnradfabrik Hermann Hagenmeyer GmbH & Cie KG
    Inventors: Jens Weller, Klaus Kranich
  • Patent number: 9003905
    Abstract: A power transmitting apparatus may selectively transmit torque of power source to two input shafts through two clutches and may output changed torque through two output shafts after the torque selectively transmitted to the two input shafts is changed, wherein the two input shafts may respectively have a plurality of input gears fixed thereon, the two output shafts may respectively have a plurality of speed gears rotatable on the output shafts and a plurality of synchronizers operably connecting each speed gear to any one of the output shafts, and each input gear may be engaged with at least one speed gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Sueng Ho Lee, Jongsool Park, Kyeonghun Lee, Choung Wan Son, Chang Yeon Cho, Jong Min Kim
  • Patent number: 8997596
    Abstract: An interlocking device arranged to prevent forbidden order of engagement/disengagement of two tooth clutches in a vehicle transmission is provided and includes a groove arranged in a first of shift rods, and a second and a third groove arranged in a second of shift rods, an interlocking element arranged coplanar with the shift rods, and directed and movable towards the shift rods. The length of the interlocking element is adapted to allow certain combinations and order of engagement/disengagement of the tooth clutches. A piston element partitions the second and third groove. The piston element is movably arranged in a hole in the second shift rod such that the interlocking element can push the piston element down in the hole, allowing the second shift rod to be displaced only one-way when the first shift rod is in an engaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB
    Inventors: Klas Bergström, Anders Hedman
  • Patent number: 8997595
    Abstract: A transmission includes an input shaft, an output shaft and an intermediate shaft, a power transmission mechanism and a control unit. The power transmission mechanism includes a forward travelling lower speed clutch, a forward travelling higher speed clutch, a rearward travelling clutch and a plurality of speed stage switching clutches. The control unit is configured to switch a gear state into a shiftable rearward travelling gear stage by turning off either the forward travelling lower speed clutch or the forward travelling higher speed clutch and by turning on the rearward travelling clutch in executing an operation of switching from forward travelling to rearward travelling, and to switch a gear stage into a shiftable forward travelling gear stage by turning off the rearward travelling clutch and turning on the forward travelling lower speed clutch in executing an operation of switching from rearward travelling to forward travelling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Sasada, Hiroaki Takeshima, Yoshito Komatsu
  • Patent number: 8984989
    Abstract: Clutch arrangement for a motor vehicle drive train. The clutch arrangement has a first and a second clutch which are embodied as normally open clutches. The first clutch can be activated from an open position into a closed position by means of a first actuator arrangement. The second clutch can be activated from an open position into a closed position by means of a second actuator arrangement. The clutch arrangement has a locking device for locking a clutch in the closed position. Only the second clutch can be locked in the closed position by means of the locking device, while the first clutch cannot be locked in the closed position. Thus, the first actuator arrangement has to be supplied with energy in order to secure the first clutch in the closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: GETRAG Getriebe-und Zahnradfabrik Hermann Hagenmeyer GmbH & Cie KG
    Inventors: Uli Christian Blessing, Guenter Ruehle, Martin Seufert
  • Patent number: 8967010
    Abstract: An actuation mechanism including a motor having a first motor output gear and a second motor output gear is provided, the motor defining a common axis of rotation for the first and second motor output gears. The actuation mechanism also includes a pair of gearboxes positioned on opposed ends of the motor. The actuation mechanism further includes a first arm adapted to mechanically cooperate with the first gearbox and a second arm adapted to mechanically cooperate with the second gearbox. The rotor of the motor slides along the common axis of rotation. The rotor is configured to be axially movable between a first position where the rotor engages the first gearbox to rotatably actuate the first arm and a second position where the rotor engages the second gearbox to rotatably actuate the second arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventor: Frank Viola
  • Patent number: 8967008
    Abstract: A transmission includes a housing, an input member connectable to an engine output member, a sleeve member, and a launch clutch assembly connected to the input member and to the sleeve member, wherein the launch clutch is selectively engageable to transmit torque from the input member to the sleeve member. A first countershaft is rotatably supported within the transmission housing. A second countershaft is rotatably supported within the transmission housing. A plurality of co-planar gear sets are connected to the input member, sleeve member, and the countershafts. A plurality of torque transmitting mechanisms are provided for coupling various components of the co-planar gear sets to the input member, sleeve member, and countershafts. The selective engagement of the launch clutch assembly and the torque transmitting mechanisms establishes at least one of five forward speed ratios and a reverse speed ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Bret M. Olson, Edward W. Mellet
  • Patent number: 8967022
    Abstract: A drive mechanism (20) including a first shaft (324) having a first fixed gear (328) and a second shaft (322) having second fixed gear (330) that engages the first fixed gear to cause the first shaft to rotate in an opposite direction than the second shaft. A first linkage (368) connecting the first shaft and the third shaft and includes a first one-way gear (336). A second linkage (366) connecting the second shaft and the third shaft and includes a second one-way gear (338). The third shaft outputs a unidirectional rotational motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Inventor: Brian Beard
  • Patent number: 8967009
    Abstract: A transmission includes a housing, an input member connectable to an engine output member, and a launch clutch assembly connected to the input member. A first and a second countershaft are rotatably supported within the transmission housing. A plurality of co-planar gear sets are connected to the input member and the first and second countershafts. A plurality of torque transmitting mechanisms are provided for coupling various components of the co-planar gear sets to the input member and countershafts. The selective engagement of the launch clutch assembly and the torque transmitting mechanisms establishes at least one of six forward speed ratios and a reverse speed ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, LLC
    Inventors: Edward W. Mellet, Bret M. Olson