Patents Examined by James J Taylor, II
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Patent number: 11560942Abstract: Torque converter arrangements and operating methods are provided herein. In one example, the torque converter includes a first attachment interface designed to rotationally couple to a prime mover and a second attachment interface designed to rotationally couple to a transmission. The torque converter further includes a lock-up clutch with an engagement spring embedded in an actuation piston, a plurality of separator plates supported by one or more guiding pins that extend through the plurality of separator plates and into a casing, and a plurality of friction plates interleaved with the plurality of separator plates, where the plurality of separator plates and friction plates are axially captured between the actuation piston and an end plate.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2021Date of Patent: January 24, 2023Assignee: Dana Belgium N.V.Inventors: Kurt Cattoor, Filip D. Schacht, Tommy Van Acker, Joachim Van Dingenen
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Patent number: 11555538Abstract: The present invention provides a disconnector apparatus including: a support ring provided in a differential casing and configured to support a pinion gear mounted therein; a clutch ring having one end penetrating the differential casing, provided in the differential casing, and configured to be coupled to or decoupled from the support ring; an actuator configured to press the other end of the clutch ring to couple the support ring and the clutch ring; and an elastic member coupled to an exposed portion of the clutch ring positioned outside the differential casing, the elastic member having one end in contact with the differential casing and the other end in contact with the actuator.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2021Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: HYUNDAI TRANSYS INC.Inventors: Man Bok Lee, Jin Hwan Lee
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Patent number: 11555537Abstract: A power transmission device including a planetary gear, a differential gear and a differential case. The planetary gear includes a carrier, and pinion gears supported by pinion shafts. The differential gear includes a pair of bevel gears supported by a bevel gear shaft, and side gears engaged with the bevel gears. The carrier defines pinion shaft insertion holes in which pinion shafts are respectively inserted. The differential case defines bevel gear shaft insertion holes in which the bevel gear shaft is inserted. A straight line that penetrates the bevel gear shaft insertion holes overlaps with the pinion shaft insertion holes in a circumferential direction, and the bevel gear shaft passes through a center of a circle that connects the pinion shaft insertion holes. When viewed along an axial direction, the pinion shafts do not overlap the side gears, with the side gears being arranged radially inwardly than the pinion shafts.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2019Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: Jatco LtdInventor: Toshikazu Oshidari
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Patent number: 11542993Abstract: A freewheel for changing a transmission characteristic of a planetary transmission for a motor vehicle transmission. The freewheel has a first ring which has a first blocking contour, a second ring which is rotatable relative to the first ring and which has a second blocking contour, tiltable blocking bodies which can be caused to engage into the first blocking contour and into the second blocking contour, and a switching element for tilting the blocking bodies. The switching element, in a blocking position, clamps the blocking bodies immovably to the first blocking contour and to the second blocking contour, in a freewheel position, allows unidirectional freewheeling, and in an inactive position, holds the blocking bodies down on the first ring so as to be spaced apart from the second ring.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2021Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Inventor: Michael Brunner
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Patent number: 11542992Abstract: A coupling and control assembly including a non-contact, linear inductive position sensor is provided. The assembly includes a coupling housing and a stator structure disposed within the coupling housing and including a stator housing. A translator structure is coupled to a coupling member of the assembly to rotate therewith about a rotational axis. The sensor is mounted on one of the housings. The translator structure includes a coupler element made of an electrically conductive material. The sensor is configured to create a magnetic field to induce eddy currents in the electrically conductive material. Movement of the coupler element changes a magnetic field caused by the eddy currents. The sensor provides a position feedback signal for vehicle transmission control. The signal is correlated with the linear position of the translator structure along the rotational axis.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2021Date of Patent: January 3, 2023Assignee: Means Industries, Inc.Inventor: Ryan W. Essenmacher
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Patent number: 11519485Abstract: The present invention relates to a lock-up clutch of a torque converter. A cover (10) is separated to a pilot (48) and includes an opening (10-1) for installing the pilot (48). Before assembling a clutch driving portion such as a piston, a separator, drive plates, a seal ring, and driven plates, to the pilot (48), rivets (53) are press-fitted into the pilot (48), the cover (10) is abutted to respective head portions of the rivets (53), and the pilot (48) is installed in the cover (10) and is fixed to the cover (10) by welding. Thereafter, the piston, the drive plates and the driven plates are disposed between the separator and the cover (10), the seal ring is contact with the separator, the separator is press-fitted into projection ends of the rivets (53), and then projection portions (53-2) of the rivets (53) are crimped.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2019Date of Patent: December 6, 2022Assignees: UNIPRES CORPORATION, JATCO Ltd, NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Nobuhiko Furuya, Ryuta Mori, Mitsuyoshi Tako, Daisuke Nakahara, Koshi Asao, Daisuke Usui, Takumi Watanabe, Yasuhiro Ishikawa
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Patent number: 11506284Abstract: A multi-pawl park lock includes a gear wheel, an actuation ring, a first pawl, a second pawl, and first and second strut rods. The first pawl includes a first tooth and the second pawl includes a second tooth. The strut rods connect the actuation ring to respective pawls. The actuation ring is arranged to rotate in a first rotational direction to rotate the first pawl about a first pawl axis and engage the first tooth with the gear wheel, and rotate the second pawl about a second pawl axis and engage the second tooth with the gear wheel, preventing rotation of the gear wheel. The actuation ring is also arranged to rotate in a second rotational direction, opposite the first rotational direction, to rotate the first pawl and disengage the first tooth, and rotate the second pawl and disengage the second tooth, permitting rotation of the gear wheel.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2021Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KGInventor: Peter Burke
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Patent number: 11506271Abstract: A torque damper apparatus includes an input-side plate having a pair of side plates and rotatably driven in response to drive force from a motor, a center plate coupled to an output shaft and arranged between the pair of side plates, and an elastic transmission body provided between the input-side plate and the center plate to transmit rotary drive force of the input-side plate to the center plate. The input-side plate has, at a plate surface of at least one side plate, multiple weight attachment holes for attaching a balance weight. Each weight attachment hole is formed in a long hole shape extending along a circumferential direction at an outer edge portion of the side plate.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2021Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha F.C.C.Inventors: Tetsuya Naito, Yuki Okamoto
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Patent number: 11499633Abstract: A transmission for a drivetrain of a motor vehicle, including a transmission casing which is or can be at least partially filled with oil and wherein a parking lock is arranged, wherein the parking lock includes a parking lock gear, which is connected rotationally conjointly to a transmission shaft and which has a locking toothing, and a locking pawl, which is mounted pivotably on the transmission casing and which has a locking tooth which, when the locking pawl is pivoted into a locking position, can be placed in positive locking engagement with the locking toothing of the parking lock gear, wherein the locking pawl is actuatable by an electromechanical parking-lock actuator which is arranged within the transmission casing. The invention furthermore relates to a motor vehicle which has a transmission of the type.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2019Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: FTE automotive GmbHInventors: Sonja Lenke, Samir (Sam) Elflein
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Patent number: 11486480Abstract: An electronic locking differential includes a lock ring and a coil that moves the lock ring to engage gears of the electronic locking differential, an energy storage capacitor that powers the coil during at least a portion of engagement of the lock ring with the gears, and a controller. The controller charges the energy storage capacitor to a first predefined voltage prior to the engagement.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2021Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Stuart C. Salter, Brian James Andonian, Gustavo Luis Garcia, Jihong Guo, Andrew Monticello, Joseph Daniel
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Patent number: 11473662Abstract: A vehicle differential may have multiple gears and include a coil, a drive member movable in response to a magnetic field generated by the coil, with the drive member being movable between a first position and a second position. The drive member has an axis and includes a first body that is magnetically responsive, a second body coupled to the first body, an axis, an axially forward face and a stop surface axially spaced from the forward face, where the stop surface is arranged to limit movement of the drive member away from the first position. A lock member is engaged and driven by the forward face of the drive member to engage a gear of the differential when the drive member is in the second position, and the lock member is adapted to be disengaged from the gear when the drive member is in the first position.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2018Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: GKN Automotive LimitedInventor: Toshiaki Komatsu
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Patent number: 11472277Abstract: A drive arrangement for an element vehicle, having first and second drive wheels (R1, R2), a first electric machine (EM1) and a second electric machine (EM2) with a common rotational axis (m), a manual transmission (G3) with a transmission input shaft (EW) and a transmission output shaft (AW) and an axle differential (DI) with a differential input (DIK) and two differential output shafts (3a, 3b). The first electric machine (EM1) is connected to the transmission input shaft (EW) and the transmission output shaft (AW) is connected to the differential input (DIK), and the second electric machine (EM2) can, if necessary, be engaged as an additional drive.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2020Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Johannes Glückler, Kai Bornträger, Stefan Renner, Stefan Spühler, Michael Trübenbach, Johannes Kaltenbach
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Patent number: 11466765Abstract: The lock-up device of a torque converter includes an input side clutch supporter fixed to a front cover for transmitting a power from a drive side; a plurality of clutch plates supported by the input side clutch supporter; a lock-up piston to pressurize the clutch plate to make the clutch connected; a piston guide supporting the end portion of the lock-up piston; a spring pack fixed to the lock-up piston, installed between the lock-up piston and the input side clutch supporter and including an elastic body that presses the lock-up piston in the direction of releasing the clutch; and an mutual rotation prevention mechanism that prevents a relative rotation between the lock-up piston and the input side clutch supporter.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2019Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: VALEO KAPEC JAPAN KKInventors: Atsushi Inoue, Shintaro Ishizaka
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Patent number: 11460097Abstract: A planetary gear unit includes a first gear, a second gear, and a third gear arranged coaxially while allowed to rotate relatively. A first planetary gear and a second planetary gear are integral, and a third planetary gear and a fourth planetary gear are integral. The planetary gears are rotatably supported by a carrier. The first planetary gear is meshed with the first gear, the second planetary gear is meshed with the second gear, the third planetary gear is meshed with the second gear, and the fourth planetary gear is meshed with the third gear. A gear ratio between the first planetary gear and the first gear is different from a gear ratio between the second planetary gear and the second gear, and a gear ratio between the third planetary gear and the second gear is different from a gear ratio between the fourth planetary gear and the third gear.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2021Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hiroshi Isono
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Patent number: 11454319Abstract: In a vehicle parking lock mechanism, a parking pawl hinders rotation of a parking gear by engaging with the parking gear, and a lock member establishes a parking lock state by bringing the parking pawl closer to the parking gear and moving to a lock position. The cam mechanism includes a pair of a first roller and a second roller provided on the lock member. When the lock member is moved from an unlock position to the lock position, the first roller brings the parking pawl closer to the parking gear to be engaged with the parking gear and the second roller restricts the lock member from displacing in a direction away from the parking pawl. An outer peripheral surface of at least one of the first roller and the second roller includes a fixing portion that protrudes toward the lock position.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2021Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Masaru Morise
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Patent number: 11448301Abstract: Methods and systems for a locking differential are provided. The locking differential system includes an electromagnetic solenoid actuator designed to induce locking and unlocking of the differential and a circuit board assembly designed to programmatically control the locking and unlocking functionality. The circuit board assembly includes a sensor and control circuitry enclosed in a continuous sealed enclosure, the sensor extends down the face of a coil assembly in the solenoid.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2020Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: Dana Automotive Systems Group, LLCInventors: Perry M. Paielli, Michael Z. Creech, Sagar B. Bangar
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Patent number: 11441613Abstract: The invention is concerned with an oil consumer system having at least one rotating component and at least one oil supply from an oil tank, wherein the oil consumer system has an oil return to a first tank and an oil supply via at least one second tank.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2019Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: MAGNA POWERTRAIN GMBH & CO KGInventors: Joachim Klug, Christoph Krenn
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Patent number: 11441654Abstract: A lock-up device includes a clutch part and a damper part. The clutch part is disposed between a front cover and a turbine, and transmits or blocks torque. The damper part transmits torque from the clutch part to the turbine, and absorbs torsional vibration. The damper part includes input and output members, elastic members, and a support member. The input member is connected to the clutch part. The output member is connected to the turbine. The elastic members connect the input and output members. The support member has a connecting part, a regulating part, and a stopper part. The regulating part is provided such that the output member is interposed axially between the regulating part and part of the input member. The stopper part is configured to contact the output member and prohibit the input and output members from rotating relative to each other by a predetermined angle or more.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2021Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: EXEDY CORPORATIONInventor: Mitsuhiro Sasaki
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Patent number: 11441655Abstract: A torque sensing assembly of a differential of an axle assembly is shown in the present disclosure. The differential may include a differential housing portion, a drive pinion positioned within the differential housing portion, a ring gear, a carrier, a differential pinion, a first side gear, a second side gear, a first bearing, a first bearing support, and the torque sensing assembly. The first bearing is coupled to the differential housing portion and rotatable with the carrier. The first bearing support is coupled to the differential housing portion and used to support the first bearing. The torque sensing assembly is coupled to the first bearing support and operable to measure a strain thereof resulted from a separation force created between the drive pinion and ring gear.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2020Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: DEERE & COMPANYInventors: Steven R. Whiteman, Dean H. Lehrke
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Patent number: 11428310Abstract: A rotatable transmission component rotatable about an axis of rotation includes a first mounting member spaced apart from a second mounting member and a spindle extending from the first mounting member to the second mounting member. An axial location of the spindle between the first and second mounting members is maintained by interference connections between the spindle and the first and second mounting members. An outer diameter of a first end of the spindle is larger than an outer diameter of a second end of the spindle. The rotatable transmission component may be a planet carrier, and a planet gear may be supported on the spindle.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2019Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.Inventors: Jorge F. Briceno, Isaac Mock, Douglas Burchett