Patents Examined by Ha Dinh Ho
  • Patent number: 11112005
    Abstract: A transmission system for a work vehicle includes a transmission. The transmission includes one or more input shafts, one or more output shafts, and shafts disposed in-between. The transmission includes gear sets disposed on the shafts, wherein the gear sets include intermediate gear sets. The transmission includes clutches disposed along the shafts, wherein each of the clutches is configured to selectively couple a respective gear set of the gear sets corresponding to a respective power flow path of the transmission. The transmission also includes a forward coupler and a reverse coupler each disposed on one of the shafts. The transmission system also includes a controller configured to receive a signal indicative of a shuttle shift, and in response to receiving the signal, instruct the clutches to stop rotation of the intermediate gear sets and subsequently shuttle shift between forward and reverse directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventor: Garth Harvey Bulgrien
  • Patent number: 11091019
    Abstract: A hybrid module for a vehicle includes a damper, a pulley, a clutch, and a torque converter. The damper is arranged for fixing to a crank shaft of an engine. The pulley circumscribes the damper and is arranged for connecting to an electric motor via a belt drive. The clutch has a first output flange for drivingly engaging the damper with the pulley. The torque converter has a pilot drivingly engaged with the first output flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Markus Steinberger, Benjamin Vögtle, Gregory Heeke, Peter Burke
  • Patent number: 11092235
    Abstract: An object is to reduce a delay in response. An automatic gear changing control device includes a sleeve which is moved by an actuator to perform an engagement operation, an engine which is connected to an input shaft, and a control unit which controls the movement of the sleeve by the actuator and controls the rotation of the input shaft by the engine or a motor generator. The control unit performs synchronization control of controlling the rotation of the input shaft for the engagement operation at a different gear stage after the engagement is released and starts shift control of moving the sleeve to an engagement completion position by the actuator before at least the synchronization is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Shimizu, Mitsutoshi Kamiya
  • Patent number: 11092234
    Abstract: A drive system for a motor vehicle includes a separating clutch, a shiftable transmission, a drive machine, and a transmission gear wheel and a clutch device. In a first operating state either the clutch device or the transmission gear wheel is kinematically coupled to the transmission input shaft and in a second operating state both said clutch device and said transmission gear wheel are kinematically coupled in said manner thereto. The drive system comprises a braking device for transmitting a braking force in a non-contact manner in this first operating state from a first part to a second part of the braking device. In that the first part of the braking device is kinematically coupleable to the transmission input shaft and the second part is kinematically coupleable to the transmission gear wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Achim Gordner, Stephan Fischer
  • Patent number: 11091224
    Abstract: A bicycle derailleur is provided with a front gear plate and a rear gear plate. A small gear of the front gear plate corresponds to a big gear of the rear gear plate to form a low-speed gear, and a big gear of the front gear plate corresponds to a small gear of the rear gear plate to form a high-speed gear. A transmission box is arranged between the front gear plate and the rear gear plate, and a clutch lever can be controlled to enable the front gear plate to move forwards to be separated from the transmission box or to move backwards to be engaged with the transmission box. A gear case fixed to an edge of a triangular bracket is disposed around a middle of the transmission box. A top of the transmission box penetrates through the gear case to be movably connected to a gear shift lever. The clutch lever and the gear shift lever can be controlled to enable the transmission box to move forwards, backwards, leftwards, or rightwards in the gear case to reach a desired gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Inventor: Zhaotian Guo
  • Patent number: 11085533
    Abstract: In a vehicle power unit, a drum rotary shaft member on one side of a shift drum is provided with a driven gear. A case side wall on one side of an engine crankcase supporting the drum rotary shaft member is covered by a case cover member in opposing relation thereto. A shift motor is mounted to the case cover member, with a driving gear thereof directed to protrude toward the case side wall. A speed reducing gear train has gear shafts and provides a multiplicity of speed reduction stages for transmitting power from the driving gear to the driven gear. The speed reducing gear train is arranged with both ends of its gear shafts thereof supported on the case side wall and the case cover member, respectively. Such arrangement provides a vehicle power unit for a fast and smooth shift by an electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Kittaka, Takashi Kudo
  • Patent number: 11085494
    Abstract: A dog clutch of a vehicle power transmission device includes a sleeve, the dog clutch connecting/disconnecting a first rotating shaft to/from a first gear by moving the sleeve between a neutral position at which inner circumferential teeth formed on an inner circumferential side of the sleeve are not meshed with outer circumferential teeth on a side surface side of the first gear and an engagement position at which the inner circumferential teeth are meshed with the outer circumferential teeth, the inner circumferential teeth and the outer circumferential teeth having inclined surfaces tooth thicknesses of which become larger as the inner circumferential teeth and the outer circumferential teeth approach each other, and when the sleeve is moved to an engagement position by a shift fork, the sleeve being held in contact with a side surface of the first gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshio Suzuki, Takaaki Ito, Yoshisuke Kametani, Shinya Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 11072233
    Abstract: A powertrain for a vehicle includes an engine, a first motor serving as a motor for driving of a vehicle or serving as a generator, a first power transmission mechanism disposed between the engine and the first motor to transmit the power of the engine to the first motor or to cut off transmission of power between the engine and the first motor, a second power transmission mechanism disposed between the first motor and a driving shaft of running wheels to transmit the power of the first motor to the driving shaft of the running wheels or to cut off transmission of power between the first motor and the driving shaft of the running wheels, and a second motor connected to the second power transmission mechanism via a third power transmission mechanism to transmit power to the second power transmission mechanism and outputting power for driving the vehicle and transmit the power to the driving shaft of the running wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Hoi Huh, Seong Eun Park, Kwang Min Choi, Tae Sic Park
  • Patent number: 11067168
    Abstract: A power transmission apparatus configured for a vehicle, may include a first input shaft selectively connectable to an engine output shaft, a second input shaft mounted coaxial with the first input shaft and selectively connectable to the engine output shaft, a third input shaft external to the second input shaft and selectively connectable to the engine output shaft, a torque mediating shaft mounted coaxial with the first input shaft, first and second intermediate shafts, an idle shaft, a first shifting section including five gear sets, the first and second intermediate shafts, the torque mediating shaft and the idle shaft, a second shifting section including a planetary gear set having a sun gear fixedly connected to the torque mediating shaft, and an output shaft mounted coaxial with and selectively connectable to the first intermediate shaft and outputting a torque from the first and second shifting sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Juhyeon Park, Seong Wook Hwang, Seongwook Ji, Ki Tae Kim, Wonmin Cho, Hyun Sik Kwon, Ilhan Yoo, Sun Sung Kwon, Chon Ok Kim
  • Patent number: 11065948
    Abstract: A vehicle powertrain includes a first electric machine and a second electric machine, a transmission arranged to transmit torque from the electric machines to a pair of driven wheels of a vehicle, where the first electric machine is drivingly connected to a first input shaft of the transmission and a second electric machine is drivingly connected to a second input shaft of the transmission, a first torque path for transmitting torque includes only one gear ratio between the first input shaft and an output shaft of the transmission, and a second torque path for transmitting torque includes two selectable and separately engageable gear ratios between the second input shaft and the output shaft of the transmission, and where the three gear ratios of the first and second torque paths are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventor: John Lord
  • Patent number: 11065950
    Abstract: A method of shifting ranges within a transmission is provided. The method of an embodiment includes determining an intention to change from a first mode to a second mode in the transmission, determining the first mode of the transmission, which includes a first range clutch in an engaged condition and a first synchronizer in a first engaged condition, determining the second mode of the transmission, which includes a second range clutch in an engaged condition and a second synchronizer in a first engaged condition, engaging the second synchronizer in the first engaged condition, disengaging the first range clutch, engaging the second range clutch, and disengaging the first synchronizer from the first engaged condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: David Mueller, Andrew K. Rekow, Thomas H. Vu, Rainer Gugel, Werner Stettler
  • Patent number: 11058595
    Abstract: A healthcare lifting vehicle includes a base frame, a drive mechanism, a preloading mechanism and a conveying mechanism. The preloading mechanism includes a pressure wheel and an elastic member, and the pressure wheel is movably coupled to the base frame, and both ends of the elastic member are connected to the base frame and the pressure wheel respectively. The conveying mechanism includes a reel, a transfer gear and a conveyor belt, and the reel is pivotally connected to the base frame and driven by the drive mechanism, and the transfer gear is axially coupled to base frame and formed on a side of the pressure wheel, and the conveyor belt is wound around the reel and extended towards the transfer gear and elastically coupled between the transfer gear and the pressure wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: TIMOTION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yi-Chien Chiu
  • Patent number: 11054020
    Abstract: A transmission includes an input shaft coupled to a prime mover, a countershaft, main shaft, and an output shaft, with gears between the countershaft and the main shaft. The shift actuator is mounted on an exterior wall of a housing including the countershaft and the main shaft. A shift control circuit operates a shift actuator using a first opposing pulse command and a first actuating pulse command, and releases pressure with shift actuating and opposing volumes of the shift actuator upon determining a shift completion event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Eaton Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Peterson, Graeme Andrew Jackson, Timothy Scott Smith, Paul Wilson, Christian Chimner, Andrzej Wota, Thomas Connolly, Joseph Paul Furner, Sipei Chen, Ian Daniel McKenzie, Christopher Deboer
  • Patent number: 11046169
    Abstract: A four-wheel drive hybrid vehicle, in which all wheels are driven by an engine, and in which a spatial restriction to arrange a front motor is reduced. The hybrid vehicle comprises: an engine disposed on a side of front wheels; a first motor; an exhaust pipe for discharging exhaust gas from a rear side of the vehicle; a first propeller shaft that delivers output power of the engine to rear wheels; a transfer that distributes the output power of the engine to the front wheels; a second propeller shaft that delivers a drive force from the transfer to the front wheels; and a second motor that applies torque to the front wheels. The second propeller shaft is arranged on the other side of the exhaust pipe across the first propeller shaft while being connected to the second propeller shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Seiji Kuwahara
  • Patent number: 11041557
    Abstract: This speed reducer with an electric motor has: a hollow shaft; a casing fixed to the hollow shaft; a fixed part that is relatively stationary with respect to the casing; an electric motor; a speed reduction mechanism; an output part; and a torque sensor that is connected to the casing and the fixed part. The torque sensor has an elastically deformable strain body that has an annular outer ring and an annular inner ring and a plurality of strain sensors. The outer ring and the inner ring are respectively located at an end portion on the radial outside and the radial inside of the torque sensor and is connected to one of the casing and the fixed part. Each of the plurality of strain sensors is at least partially located in a radial direction between the outer ring and the inner ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignees: NIDEC-SHIMPO CORPORATION, NIDEC COPAL ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Koroyasu, Tomoyuki Otsuka, Takuro Yonemura, Takao Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11041545
    Abstract: A bending meshing type gear device includes an internal gear, an external gear which meshes with the internal gear, a wave generator which bends and deforms the external gear, and a wave generator bearing which is disposed between the wave generator and the external gear, in which the wave generator bearing has a rolling body and an outer ring, and a minimum inner peripheral length of the external gear is larger than a maximum outer peripheral length of the outer ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Yoshida, Toshiya Nagumo, Masayuki Ishizuka
  • Patent number: 11035452
    Abstract: A wave bearing of a wave generator of a strain wave gearing is provided with steel or stainless steel cylindrical hollow rollers between an inner-race-side raceway surface and an outer-race-side raceway surface, the hollow rollers serving as rolling elements. The ratio Di/Do of the inner diameter Di to the outer diameter Do of the hollow rollers is set to 0.95 or more. The relative radius of curvature of hollow rollers that have been flexed into an ellipsoidal shape increases with respect to the inner-race raceway surface and the outer-race raceway surface with which the hollow rollers are in contact, and the Hertz maximum contact stress is reduced. The hardness of the hollow rollers, the inner-race raceway surface, and the outer-race raceway surface can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Masaru Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11021057
    Abstract: A transfer case with an actuator for operating a two-speed transmission (i.e., range mechanism) and a clutch (i.e., mode mechanism). The actuator employs a motor-driven cam structure that coordinates the movement of a first fork, which is associated with the range mechanism, and a second fork that is associated with the mode mechanism. A resilient coupling is employed to provide compliance between the motor and the cam structure in the event that tooth-on-tooth contact inhibits the range mechanism from changing from a high-range mode and a low range mode. Compliance is provided between the cam structure and the second fork in the event that tooth-on-tooth contact inhibits the mode mechanism from changing from a 2WD mode to a 4WD mode. A sensor system identifies the placement of the first and second forks in various positions and responsively generates associated sensor signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Abhinav Jain, Stephen D. Tucker, Travis J. Wentz
  • Patent number: 11015693
    Abstract: A wave gear device includes a circular spline that has an annular shape and rigidity; a flex spline that has an annular shape and flexibility, and is disposed in the circular spline; and a wave generator that is disposed in the flex spline, is configured to cause the flex spline to be distorted in a radial direction and is configured to partially mesh with the circular spline, and is configured to move a meshing position between the circular spline and the flex spline in a circumferential direction. The ratio of the Vickers hardness on an inner circumferential surface of the flex spline to the Vickers hardness on an outer circumferential surface of the wave generator is 1.2 or more and 1.7 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Maniwa, Yoshitomo Mizoguchi, Takumi Imada, Akihiro Orita
  • Patent number: 11007865
    Abstract: A supplemental transmission assembly including a dual-clutch assembly, a first supplemental input shaft, a second supplemental input shaft, and two independent sets of gears. The supplemental transmission assembly couples to the primary vehicle transmission, receiving rotational energy from the primary transmission output shaft of the primary vehicle transmission. By including a plurality of gears in two independent sets, the supplemental transmission assembly allows the vehicle to smoothly progress through the gears when accelerating or decelerating, providing smooth operation and the maximum fuel efficiency for the vehicle. In addition, the supplemental transmission assembly limits the load on the engine by limiting engine RPMs to less than approximately 2500 RPMs via a computer-controlled engine management system, while progressing through gears quickly and efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: 21 st Green Drive Tech Inc.
    Inventor: Earl E. Irwin