Patents Examined by Huan Le
  • Patent number: 12270468
    Abstract: A hydraulic damping rail includes a primary rail wall defining a primary rail volume, a rail inlet structured to provide communication of hydraulic fluid between a hydraulic pump and the primary rail volume, and a plurality of rail outlets configured to provide communication between the primary rail volume and a plurality of clutch valves. A spacing between adjacent pairs of rail outlets of the plurality of rail outlets is variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLC
    Inventors: Hamidreza Mahabadipour, Haibo Guo
  • Patent number: 12270463
    Abstract: An electric drive system for a motor vehicle includes a housing, an electric motor, a planetary gearbox, and an axle drive. The planetary gearbox has exactly one sun gear and exactly one planetary carrier, which carries a set of first planetary gears and a set of second planetary gears, the first planetary gears have a larger diameter than the second planetary gears. Exactly one ring gear is provided that engages with the second planetary gears. A first freewheel is provided between the ring gear and the housing so that the ring gear is coupled to the housing to block rotation of the ring gear in a forward direction of rotation of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: MERCEDES-BENZ GROUP AG
    Inventors: Tobias Schilder, Tobias Haerter, Jonathan Zeibig
  • Patent number: 12270464
    Abstract: A torque converter assembly including a hub and a housing at least partially surrounding the hub. The hub includes a hub body having a radially-inwardly extending circumferential slot defining a connection portion of the hub body, and a plurality of axially extending bores extending through the connection portion of the hub body to the circumferential slot. At least a portion of the housing is coupled to the hub with at least one rivet installed in a corresponding bore of the connection portion of the hub body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Noah Kee
  • Patent number: 12264728
    Abstract: An electric vehicle drive unit includes an electric motor generating a torque. An input differential splits the torque into a first torque created by a first side gear and a second torque created by a second side gear. A first pinion gear shaft assembly receives the first torque and has a first pinion gear. A second pinion gear shaft assembly receives the second torque and has a second pinion gear. A first stage transfer gear assembly has a first, a second, a third, and a fourth transfer gear. A first stage speed reduction meshes the first pinion gear with the first transfer gear and the third transfer gear, and meshes the second pinion gear, the second transfer gear and the fourth transfer gear. A second stage gear assembly engages the first stage transfer gear assembly and includes a first final drive gear and a second final drive gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Favian Zavala, Peter Tomsa, Chi Teck Lee, Christopher Michael Kaminski
  • Patent number: 12252038
    Abstract: An ECU of a vehicle executes a regeneration process to control an electric motor so as to generate regenerative torque during deceleration caused by an accelerator OFF. The ECU executes a torque gradual decrease process to decrease the regenerative torque in a wheel slip detection state more gradually at a time when a brake pedal is depressed after a start of the deceleration and ABS control is not activated than a time when the brake pedal is not depressed after the start of the deceleration. The ECU executes a hydraulic pressure increase process to increase the upstream hydraulic pressure such that, when the ABS control is activated while the brake pedal is depressed after the start of the deceleration, the upstream hydraulic pressure has a value necessary for generating a braking torque having a magnitude according to the regenerative torque generated at a start of the ABS control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takami Iwamoto, Shun Nagai, Yuto Yokoyama, Junichi Katsumata, Shotaro Arai, Hiroki Maeda, Masahiro Hara, Daigo Tateishi
  • Patent number: 12254776
    Abstract: A control system of a vehicle is provided. The control system includes a travelling plan database, stored with a future first travelling plan of a first vehicle and future second travelling plans of second vehicles, and disclosing the first and second travelling plans to a third party; a long distance communication unit; and a control unit. The control unit includes a matching component, querying the second vehicle that can be matched with the first vehicle to travel together on a specified road section with reference to travelling plans stored in the travelling plan database to compile a reservation table accordingly, and allowing a creator of the first travelling plan to perform platooning control on the specified road section according to the reservation table; and a pairing component, connecting the matched first vehicle and second vehicle through the long distance communication unit, so that the platooning control can be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jens Nessler, Marcus Kleinehagenbrock, Robert Kastner
  • Patent number: 12240489
    Abstract: An information management system includes: a first storage unit configured to store road information in which first information acquired by a first sensor and indicating that there is no stationary object on a road and second information acquired by a second sensor and indicating that there is a stationary object on the road are associated with each other; a second storage unit configured to store, for each of types of moving objects configured to move on the road, passage possibility information related to possibility of passage on the road; and a determination unit configured to determine, for each of the types, whether the road is usable for passage based on the road information and the passage possibility information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Kondo, Takashi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 12233875
    Abstract: When the operation amount of an accelerator exceeds a predetermined value at a time of climbing over a bump with either one of right and left front wheels, a HEV-CU increases the regenerative torque of a first motor generator, reduces the output torque of a second motor generator, and increases the engagement force of a LSD clutch of a center differential unit so as to reduce the input torque of a front LSD. When the operation amount of the accelerator exceeds the predetermined value at a time of climbing over a bump with either one of left and right rear wheels, the HEV-CU increases the regenerative torque of the first motor generator, reduces the output torque of the second motor generator, and reduces the engagement force of the LSD clutch so as to reduce the input torque of the rear LSD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki Takami, Akihiro Nabeshima, Takeshi Yoneda, Hiroshi Tatekawa, Katsuya Higuchi, Norio Oowada
  • Patent number: 12236777
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a signal acquisition part acquires oscillation signals from sensors provided under lanes of a bridge and close to an expansion joint, a signal separation part applies BSS to the oscillation signals to estimate source oscillation signals respectively separated in the plurality of lanes, and adjusts amplitude of the source oscillation signals to output amplitude adjusted oscillation signals, and a vehicle estimation part estimates, from the amplitude adjusted oscillation signal, a response oscillation due to a vehicle passing on the lane of interest to detect and count vehicles passing on the lane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Murtuza Petladwala, Shohei Kinoshita, Shigeru Kasai
  • Patent number: 12215773
    Abstract: An automatic transmission (1) includes a transmission housing, a hydrodynamic torque converter (5), a first brake, a second brake, an intermediate plate (6) fixedly connected to the transmission housing and with ducts for supplying the hydrodynamic torque converter (5) and the two brakes (A, B) with oil. An oil guide shell (7) is arranged between the hydrodynamic torque converter (5) and the intermediate plate (6). Oil coming from the two brakes sinks via oil ducts (39.1, 39.2, 39.3) in the transmission housing and the intermediate plate (6) via the inflow opening (40) in the oil guide shell (7). The hydrodynamic torque converter (5), via rotation, conveys the oil to the elevated oil ejection opening in the oil guide shell (7), from where the oil sinks into the tank (8) via a gap (52) delimited by the oil guide shell (7) and the intermediate plate (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Thomas Riedisser, Gabriele Glade, Julia Baumann, Stephan Stroph, Andreas Knörle-Philipp, Jan Göbel, Peter Reinders, Martin Kibler, Hans-Peter Bock, Florian Lanz, Juergen Stauber, Rudolf Raedler
  • Patent number: 12209658
    Abstract: Systems and methods for an electric powertrain. The method, in one example, includes responsive to receiving a shift command, engaging a second friction clutch while disengaging a first friction clutch to transition from a first operating gear ratio to a second operating gear ratio. The method, further includes during the gear ratio transition, operating a traction motor under a peak condition, the peak condition denotes a condition where the motor speed is greater than a maximum continuous torque curve of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: DANA BELGIUM N.V.
    Inventors: Pauwel Coenen, Joachim Van Dingenen, Christophe De Buyser, Kurt Cattoor, Bert Hannon
  • Patent number: 12210356
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining an atmospheric radiative forcing difference by optimising or preventing contrail formation caused by an aircraft. The method comprises receiving one or more weather parameters to determine contrail forecast data; receiving one or more flight parameters associated with aircraft to determine flight data; determining tentative atmospheric radiative forcing quantity, along tentative flight trajectory, based on contrail forecast data and flight data; altering one or more flight parameters to determine optimised flight trajectory having optimum atmospheric radiative forcing quantity, wherein optimised flight trajectory is validated using imagery data; and determining an atmospheric radiative forcing difference to evaluate offset value for at least one forcing parameter associated with atmospheric radiative forcing difference. Disclosed also is an apparatus for determining atmospheric radiative forcing caused by aircraft by optimising or preventing contrail formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Inventor: Adam Durant
  • Patent number: 12209619
    Abstract: A pulley assembly having a body, a shaft mount and a plurality of bolts is disclosed. The body is aligned to the shaft mount by providing a tight tolerance between a shoulder portion of the bolt and a neck portion of a counter sunk hole formed in the body. Additionally, an outer surface of the body may have a pattern of friction lines or patches formed by fusing particulate matter to the outer surface with heat generated by a laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: ZPE LICENSING INC.
    Inventor: Andrew Jason Zimmer
  • Patent number: 12209618
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses can be used to adjust the torque transfer capacity and improve the overall performance and longevity of a clutch assembly. Through the use of various improved clutch components disclosed herein, it is possible to: (1) increase clutch apply forces through an increase in the fluid pressure apply surface area, or piston reaction area, of a clutch piston, thereby increasing frictional forces generated within a clutch pack for transferring input torque from a drive shaft to a driven shaft; (2) improve clutch plate contact conditions through a more rigid clutch pressure plate configuration, thereby reducing clutch pack/plate distortion and supporting structure deformation and/or wear that can otherwise lead to excessive heat generation and overall clutch performance degradation and/or failure; and/or (3) improve the clutch assembly's ability to dissipate and/or tolerate heat generated through clutch plate friction by means of an improved clutch pack configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Sonnax Transmission Company
    Inventors: Brian T. Copeland, Gregg A. Nader
  • Patent number: 12208703
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for adaptive regeneration systems for electric vehicles. In one embodiment, an example method may include determining, by an adaptive regeneration system, that an electric vehicle is decelerating, determining an output voltage of a power source at the electric vehicle, determining that a voltage potential of a battery system at the electric vehicle is greater than the output voltage, and causing the voltage potential of the battery system to be modified to a value equal to or less than the output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Premergy, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Edward Botts, Blakely Lane Fabiani
  • Patent number: 12209660
    Abstract: A parking apparatus for a vehicle includes a driving part, a detent lever part connected to a central axis of the driving part and rotated in response to a rotation of the central axis, a parking rod part moved in a straight line in response to the rotation of the detent lever part, a sprag part configured to come into contact with the parking rod part and to move up and down in response to the movement of the parking rod part, and a parking gear part disposed over the sprag part, geared by the rise of the sprag part, and configured to have it rotation restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Hyundai Transys Inc.
    Inventors: Sang Ho Lee, Young Kyu Kim, Hae Jeong Shin
  • Patent number: 12196276
    Abstract: A selectable clutch with a selector is provided, in which support grooves are formed to one of an inner race and an outer race, while pocket parts are formed to the other. A resilient member is provided to bias rollers disposed between the inner race and outer race toward the pocket parts. A roller-holding surface of the support groove and a roller-holding surface of the pocket part are formed with an inclination angle such that, when the rollers are held therebetween, a force acts on the rollers in a direction to move the rollers toward the pocket parts. In the lock mode, the rollers are each held by the support groove, pocket part, and selector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: TSUBAKIMOTO CHAIN CO
    Inventor: Yuji Kurematsu
  • Patent number: 12179615
    Abstract: An update control apparatus of a vehicle to which a dual-power supply is applied, includes: a communication device configured to obtain update software for an update target controller from a server; a processor configured to determine whether to perform updating of a vehicle using the obtained update software by determining statuses of an auxiliary battery and a main battery of the vehicle; and a storage configured to store data and algorithms driven by the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Keyng Bin Im
  • Patent number: 12172677
    Abstract: It is possible to suppress increase in power consumption of a delivery vehicle within a transportation vehicle. A delivery system includes: an autonomously-moving-type delivery vehicle configured to deliver an article; and a transportation vehicle configured to carry and transport the delivery vehicle, in which after the transportation vehicle carrying the delivery vehicle travels toward a delivery destination of the article, the delivery vehicle gets out of the transportation vehicle and delivers the article to the delivery destination. The transportation vehicle includes an unloading mechanism for letting the delivery vehicle get out of the transportation vehicle and a control unit configured to control the unloading mechanism. The delivery vehicle receives a control signal for controlling the unloading mechanism output from the control unit and gets out of the transportation vehicle based on the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiro Iwamoto, Yuta Itozawa, Hirotaka Komura
  • Patent number: 12168392
    Abstract: Adjustment device for adjusting an air stream influencing element of a motor vehicle between at least a first position and a second position, comprising a driving unit for adjusting the air stream influencing element between at least the first position and the second position, provided with an input shaft having an input axis and an output shaft having an output axis which is at a distance from the input axis, wherein the driving unit has a first, part which is provided around the input axis of the driving unit, and has a second part, wherein the adjustment device is furthermore provided with a failsafe mechanism, wherein the failsafe mechanism engages the first part of the driving unit, wherein the failsafe mechanism comprises an auxiliary driving motor, separately from a main driving motor of the driving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: MCI (MIRROR CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL) NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Marius Brand, Stephen Alexander George Gustavo Boom, Jannick Daniël Wijntjes