Patents Examined by James J Taylor, II
  • Patent number: 11655887
    Abstract: A differential including a case (5), a side gear (100,200), a first lock plate (1000) having a first side and a toothed side, and a second lock plate (2000) having a first side facing the case and a toothed second side facing the toothed side of the first lock plate (1000). The differential further includes a cam plate (300) between the side gear (100,200) and the first lock plate (1000) and a clutch pack (40) between the cam plate (300) and the first lock plate (1000). The cam plate (300) includes a splined neck (330) extending towards the first lock plate (1000), and the clutch pack (40) includes at least one active clutch disc (20) internally splined to the splined neck (330).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Sagar Pratap Tawade, Rupesh Madhukar Surve
  • Patent number: 11649885
    Abstract: A differential apparatus includes a differential unit and a multi-plate clutch. The differential unit includes a differential case, a differential gear and a pair of output gears. The differential case includes a case main body and a cover body to close an opening of the case main body. The opening of the case main body is formed on a side of one of the pair of output gears. The multi-plate clutch is provided only on a side of the opening of the case main body. Outer clutch plates of the multi-plate clutch are engaged with the differential case. Inner clutch plates of the multi-plate clutch are engaged with the one of the pair of the output gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Isao Hirota, Noboru Higano, Yousuke Kawai
  • Patent number: 11635128
    Abstract: A torque converter, including: a cover arranged to receive torque; an impeller; a turbine; a stator; and a lock-up clutch including a piston plate, a first plate, a second plate axially disposed between the cover and the first plate, and a rivet non-rotatably connecting the first plate to the second plate, the rivet being a component distinct from the first plate and the second plate. The cover and the piston plate define at least a portion of a first pressure chamber. The first plate and the second plate define at least a portion of a second pressure chamber. The first pressure chamber and the second pressure chamber are arranged to receive and expel a fluid to axially displace the piston plate to open and close the lock-up clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Long Souers
  • Patent number: 11619291
    Abstract: A differential device is provided with: a ring gear having a tooth row arranged around an axis to mesh with an input gear; an outer case combined with the ring gear and rotatable about the axis; an inner case rotatable about the axis relative to the outer case and having a toothed end with axially projecting dog teeth; a differential gear set supported by the inner case and to be coupled with a pair of axles to allow differential motion between the axles; a clutch member engaging with the outer case and disconnectably connecting with the dog teeth so as to prevent the inner case from rotating relative to the outer case; and perforations penetrating the outer case and opened on an outer face of the outer case, the perforations being so disposed as to expose the dog teeth radially outwardly from the outer case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Ohashi, Hideki Nonaka, Koji Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 11619288
    Abstract: A torque converter including: a cover arranged to receive torque; an impeller; a turbine in fluid communication with the impeller; a stator assembly; a lock-up clutch including an axially displaceable piston plate; a vibration damper including an output flange, a retainer plate, and a spring directly engaged with the output flange and retainer plate; a first combination component having a first single unified structure including a first section forming a pilot hub located radially inward of the cover and non-rotatably connected to the cover, and a second section forming a seal plate of the lock-up clutch; and a second combination component having a second single unified structure including a third section forming a shell of the turbine, and a fourth section forming a cover plate of the vibration damper, the fourth section directly engaged with the spring and non-rotatably connected to the retainer plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Craig McBurney
  • Patent number: 11614168
    Abstract: A park lock roller assembly (10) includes at least one roller (12), a shaft rod (16), and a guide plate (14). The roller (12) is rotably coupled to one of the shaft rod (16). The shaft rod (16) is located within the guide plate (14) for longitudinal movement relative thereto. The park lock roller assembly (10) is pulled towards a pawl (30) to actuate the pawl (30) into locking engagement with a locking gear (38) to reliably lock a vehicle transmission in a parked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Linamar Corporation
    Inventor: Jefferey Ziemba
  • Patent number: 11608881
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a locking structure of a differential. The locking structure comprises a bi-stable electromagnetic clutch sleeved on an output axle shaft on one side of the differential. The bi-stable electromagnetic clutch comprises a movable locking disc and a fixed locking disc; the fixed locking disc is fixedly connected to a differential housing, and the movable locking disc and the fixed locking disc have face teeth that can engage with each other. The movable locking disc is sleeved on the output axle shaft, the bi-stable electromagnetic clutch drives the movable locking disc to move axially after being energized, the output axle shaft and the differential housing are locked when the movable face teeth engaged with the fixed face teeth so that the output axle shaft on either side of the differential and the differential housing have a same rotational speed and output torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: JING-JIN ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ping Yu, Yang Cao, Jianwen Li
  • Patent number: 11608879
    Abstract: Proposed is a disconnector apparatus including: a support ring provided in a differential casing and configured to support a pinion gear mounted therein; a clutch ring configured to be coupled to or decoupled from the support ring in the differential casing; an actuator including an armature provided at an outer side of the differential casing opposite to the clutch ring, the actuator being configured to couple the clutch ring and the support ring by pulling, with an electromagnetic force, the armature connected to the clutch ring by an application rod; and an elastic member coupled to a portion of the application rod in the differential casing and having one end in contact with the differential casing and the other end in contact with the clutch ring to elastically support the clutch ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: HYUNDAI TRANSYS INC.
    Inventors: Man Bok Lee, Jong Bae Ahn, Sang Heon Lee, Bong Joo Shin
  • Patent number: 11608880
    Abstract: An electronically actuated locking differential includes a gear case having opposite first and second ends, a differential gear set disposed in the gear case, a lock plate disposed at the gear case first end and configured to selectively engage the differential gear set, and an electronic actuator disposed at the gear case second end and coupled to the lock plate via at least one rod. The electronic actuator is operable between an unlocked first mode where the lock plate does not lockingly engage the differential gear set, and a locked second mode where the electronic actuator pulls the at least one rod to thereby pull the lock plate into locking engagement with the differential gear set to thereby lock a pair of axle shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventor: Dileep Rajendran
  • Patent number: 11602989
    Abstract: An axle assembly having an input shaft, an output shaft, and an interaxle differential unit. The interaxle differential unit includes a first side gear, a second side gear, a spider, at least one pinion gear, and a case. The case encircles the first side gear and the spider and has an integral drive gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Mahesh Naik, Ramesh Ranjan, Dale Kwasniewski
  • Patent number: 11603915
    Abstract: A differential with a clutch is provided with: a differential gear set; a dividable casing defining a chamber accommodating the clutch and the differential gear set; a first member of the casing formed in a unitary body and including an end wall having a window penetrating the end wall, a boss portion projecting axially outward from the end wall, a side wall around the axis and a flange extending radially outward for receiving the torque; a second member of the casing fixed with the side wall to close the chamber; an axially movable clutch member axially movable including a leg portion disposed in the window and transmitting the torque from the end wall to the differential gear set; and an actuator having an axially outward offset from the flange and including a plunger abutting on the leg portion and driven axially by the actuator to thrust the clutch member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Toshiaki Komatsu, Kazuhiro Ohashi, Chikashi Wakamatsu
  • Patent number: 11560942
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Dana Belgium N.V.
    Inventors: Kurt Cattoor, Filip D. Schacht, Tommy Van Acker, Joachim Van Dingenen
  • Patent number: 11555538
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: HYUNDAI TRANSYS INC.
    Inventors: Man Bok Lee, Jin Hwan Lee
  • Patent number: 11555537
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Jatco Ltd
    Inventor: Toshikazu Oshidari
  • Patent number: 11542993
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Inventor: Michael Brunner
  • Patent number: 11542992
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Means Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan W. Essenmacher
  • Patent number: 11519485
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignees: 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
  • Patent number: 11506271
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha F.C.C.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Naito, Yuki Okamoto
  • Patent number: 11506284
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Peter Burke
  • Patent number: 11499633
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: FTE automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Sonja Lenke, Samir (Sam) Elflein