Patents Examined by Khoi O. Ta
  • Patent number: 5601508
    Abstract: A locking device for a bevel gear differential having an insert (5) mounted on its own axis (4) which is also the axis of the planet bevel (3). The insert is situated between the opposing bevel gears (2) and has teeth (6) which engages with those of the bevel wheels and when the bevel wheels are displace relative to each other, the insert executes reciprocal motion along the axis of the pinion. Various ways of creating resistance in the motion of the insert is disclosed which limits the relative angular velocity of the bevel wheels as they rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Inventor: Viktor M. Kuzevanov
  • Patent number: 5460582
    Abstract: An automatic transmission having multiple-ratio gearing, fluid pressure-operated clutches and brakes adapted to establish and to disestablish multiple torque ratios and electronic shift control solenoids that can be energized and de-energized under the control of an electronic microprocessor that senses transmission operating variables, and a control strategy inherent in the microprocessor that uses predetermined failure modes to perform functional testing on the shift solenoids without special hydraulic and electronic hardware for developing the diagnostic information that detects shift solenoid failures or malfunctions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Bruce J. Palansky, Pamela J. Eggers, Richard R. Hathaway, Earl R. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 5460584
    Abstract: A hydraulically-actuated multi-step transmission is adapted to prevent the occurrence of engagement shocks of a direct-coupled or lock-up clutch associated with a torque converter. Downshifting is carried out once with the direct-coupled clutch (8) engaged when the vehicle is slowed toward a stop. This is followed by a further downshift with the accelerator released and the direct-coupled clutch disengaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Komatsu Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kohei Kusaka, Yasunori Ohkura
  • Patent number: 5456139
    Abstract: The present invention comprises an extended tooth contact harmonic drive gearing apparatus for transmitting rotary motion from an input drive to an output drive through mating contact between a flexspline and a rigid circular spline, the flexspline being swept into a non-circular shape by a wave generator. The wave generator causes the teeth of the flexspline to precess from a normal to an inclined orientation and back to a normal orientation again. The teeth on both the flexspline and the circular spline have a profile which accomodates that tooth inclination, and thus avoids interference therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1995
    Assignee: Teppin Seiki Boston, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph J. Aubin
  • Patent number: 5433676
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an engine and an automatic transmission controls a starting timing, a terminating timing, or methods of torque reduction of the engine during gear shifts. Using stored information such as a turbine speed signal, a gear shift signal, a degree to which a throttle valve is opened, a vehicle speed, an engine speed and so on, the control apparatus calculates an appropriate torque reduction which is performed by either retarding ignition timing or cutting fuel supplied to fuel injection valves. According to one embodiment of the invention, by detecting a variation ratio or differential value of turbine speed, a period of the torque reduction is started, ended, and kept within a proper timing. According to another embodiment of the invention, based on a "chasing" state of an input torque of the transmission against the variation of engine load, the timing of torque reduction is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1995
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Mitsutoshi Abe, Kazuo Sasaki, Hiroshi Yoshimura, Masahito Kitada, Kanji Okamoto, Toshihisa Marusue
  • Patent number: 5419419
    Abstract: A hydraulic control system for shifting a positive variable drive transmission includes a series of indexing mechanisms 90 through 95 for indexing a series of overrunning clutches between to two limit positions. A selector valve 150 controlled by a computer 162 directs flows of pressurized fluid to the indexing mechanisms 90 through 95. A motor 152 indexes a shear plate 172 of the selector valve 150 to predetermined positions for shifting the transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1995
    Inventor: Roger Macpherson
  • Patent number: 5409425
    Abstract: A torque distributing differential for distributing torque from an input element to two output elements and including a first planetary carrier connected to one of the two output elements of the differential and a sun gear coupled to the other of the two output elements. A second planetary carrier of a planetary gear type torque distributing mechanism coupled to the other of the two output elements. An external tooth gear of a ring gear of the torque distributing mechanism and an external tooth gear of the first planetary carrier being operatively connected to each other with a predetermined reduction ratio through a pair of spur gears, so that the sun gear is rotatably driven by a motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuji Shibahata
  • Patent number: 5362284
    Abstract: A torque proportioning differential (10) is modified to vary bias ratio in three distinct stages in response to predetermined levels of drive torque. A pair of side gears (26 and 28) carried within a differential housing (12) generate respective thrust forces (44 and 46) that can be opposed by both high-friction gear mounting surfaces (68 and 70) and low-friction gear mounting surfaces (84 and 86). Outer disc springs (72 and 74) transmit a first portion of the thrust forces (44 and 46) to the low-friction gear mounting surfaces (84 and 86). Inner disc springs (64 and 66) transmit together with the outer disc springs (72 and 74) a second portion of the thrust forces (44 and 46) up to a second magnitude. Either the inner disc springs (64 and 66) or the outer disc springs (72 and 74) transmit the remaining portion of the thrust forces ( 44 and 46) above the second magnitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1994
    Assignee: Zexel-Gleason USA, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark S. Brewer
  • Patent number: 5356352
    Abstract: In a planetary gear set, a pinion shaft extending through one of planetary pinions has one and opposite end portions supported by two spaced plate portions of a carrier. Needle bearings are disposed between the pinion and the pinion shaft. Pinion washers extend around the piston shaft and radially between the pinions and the adjacent plate portions of the carrier. In order to withstand a thrust which the needle bearings are subjected to, the pinion washers have integral portions extending axially into spaces defined between the pinion, the needle bearings and the spaced plate portions of the carrier. Alternatively, the pinion shaft may have integral portions extending radially into the spaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: Jatco Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Sakamoto, Muneo Mizuta, Hiroshi Noguchi
  • Patent number: 5193417
    Abstract: A shift control apparatus controls the shifting of a transmission by selecting one power transmitting path at a time from a plurality of paths respectively having different speed reduction ratios. At least one power transmitting path is provided with a one-way clutch and an engine-brake clutch is included in the plurality of paths. The one-way clutch can be locked by the engine-brake clutch. An engine-brake clutch control valve is provided for controlling the engine-brake clutch. Two solenoid valves are provided for controlling the engine brake clutch control valve. When one of the two solenoid valves fails and is inactivated, the other solenoid valve is used to cause the engine-brake clutch control valve to engage the engine-brake clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1993
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsunefumi Niiyama, Noboru Sekine, Takamichi Shimada, Hiroyuki Shimada, Kaoru Kajikawa
  • Patent number: 5141477
    Abstract: A multistage automatic transmission has input and output shafts which are coaxially arranged, a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a plurality of clutches, and first and second brakes. The first planetary gearset includes mutually meshed paired pinions that mesh with a first sun gear and a first ring gear, and a carrier that rotatably carries the mutually meshed paired pinions. The second planetary gearset includes a single type pinion meshed with a second sun gear and a second ring gear, and a second carrier that rotatably carries the single type pinion. The first and second gearset are coaxially aligned between the input and output shafts. The arrangement of the clutches is such that when shifting to any particular neighboring gear, the condition of no more than two of the clutches needs to be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1992
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshikazu Oshidari
  • Patent number: 5030184
    Abstract: An eccentric gear comprising a stationary gear wheel (2) and an eccentric gear wheel (9). The eccentric wheel is freely mounted on the input shaft and is driven round by eccentric means (4, 6) causing the eccentric wheel to roll round the internal teeth on the stationary wheel. A driving dog transmits the slow rotation of the eccentric wheel to an output shaft (14). Distinguishing for the invention is that the teeth are corrected such that the eccentric wheel is adjusted with the aid of the two eccentric means such that there is practically no backlash. A computer calculated least clearance between respective top lands on the teeth is obtained with respect to tooth meshing. The eccentric means comprises two cylindrical sleeves arranged eccentrically one in the other. At one end part of each of the sleeves, one of which is arranged eccentrically in the other, there is a radially outstanding tongue (5, 7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1991
    Inventor: Gustav Rennerfelt