Patents Examined by M. Hannon
  • Patent number: 9909661
    Abstract: A carrier is provided with a circular plate section, a cylinder section, a planetary gear arrangement section, a first hydraulic fluid flow path, and a second hydraulic fluid flow path. The cylinder section has a second support section for supporting a support pin for a planetary gear, a first clutch attachment section for attaching to a first clutch, a second clutch attachment section for attaching to a second clutch, and a piston attachment section for attaching to a piston for driving the second clutch. The first hydraulic fluid flow path has a first inlet which is provided in the circular plate section to receive hydraulic fluid to lubricate the first clutch. The second hydraulic fluid flow path has a second inlet which is provided in the circular plate section to receive hydraulic fluid to drive the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.
    Inventors: Shinichi Naito, Hiroyuki Inoue
  • Patent number: 9856952
    Abstract: A planetary gear train of an automatic transmission for a vehicle may include an input shaft receiving torque of an engine, an output shaft outputting changed torque of the engine, a first planetary gear set, a second planetary gear set, a third planetary gear set, a fourth planetary gear set, a first rotation shaft selectively connectable to a transmission housing, a second rotation shaft selectively connectable to the first rotation shaft, and directly connected to the input shaft, a third rotation shaft selectively connectable to the transmission housing, a fourth rotation shaft, a fifth rotation shaft selectively connectable to at least one of the second rotation shaft and the third rotation shaft, a sixth rotation shaft directly connected to the output shaft, and a seventh rotation shaft selectively connectable to the transmission housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Hyun Sik Kwon, Seong Wook Hwang, Wonmin Cho, Jae Chang Kook, Seongwook Jl
  • Patent number: 9851001
    Abstract: A drive unit for vehicles that prevents a blow out of lubrication oil from a breather during splash lubrication is provided. A partition plate is disposed along a flat face of a ring gear to divide an inner space of the chamber into a first reservoir in which the ring gear is disposed, and a second reservoir to which the lubrication oil partially flows thereinto to return to an oil pan. The partition plate comprises a main body disposed between the flat face of the ring gear and an inner face of the chamber opposed thereto, and a bent portion formed on an upper end of the main body to guide the lubrication oil scattered upwardly by a rotation of the ring gear in a direction away from the breather.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideyuki Higashi, Kozo Yamamoto, Kazutoshi Motoike, Tetsuya Kohno
  • Patent number: 9850961
    Abstract: The clutch pedal system for a vehicle, such as a motor vehicle, is disclosed. The clutch pedal system includes a pedal carrier having a fastening region configured to be associated with an aperture in a bulkhead and/or a dashboard carrier of the vehicle. A clutch pedal is pivotably mounted on the pedal carrier. A master cylinder is supported on an adapter region of the pedal carrier and is connected to the clutch pedal. The master cylinder is positioned such that at least a portion of the master cylinder extends through the aperture, wherein the pedal carrier is configured to position the master cylinder in a predetermined position relative to the bulkhead and/or of the dashboard carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Steffen Schoenfuss, Christina Kallas
  • Patent number: 9845831
    Abstract: A clutch for use in a gas turbine engine is disclosed herein. The clutch is adapted to selectively transmit rotation from a first shaft of the clutch to a second shaft of the clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin C. Beckner, Edward C. Rice, John M. Flynn, Andrew D. Copeland, Matthew T. Bouton
  • Patent number: 9840142
    Abstract: A drive system includes: a first planetary gear unit, in which a carrier is connected to an internal combustion engine, a sun gear is connected to a first MG, and a ring gear is connected, via a first drive gear and a first driven gear, to a counter shaft; and a second planetary gear unit, in which a brake is provided to a sun gear, a carrier is connected to the internal combustion engine, and a ring gear is connected, via a second drive gear and a second driven gear, to the counter shaft. A gear ratio of the first drive gear and the first driven gear is larger than a gear ratio of the second drive gear and the second driven gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigeru Okuwaki
  • Patent number: 9829075
    Abstract: A planetary gear train of automatic transmission may include input shaft, output gear, first to fourth planetary gear sets, first rotating shaft including first sun gear, second rotating shaft including first planet carrier, second ring gear, third planet carrier, and fourth ring gear, third rotating shaft including first ring gear and third ring gear, and selectively connected to transmission housing, fourth rotating shaft including second sun gear, and selectively connected to transmission housing, fifth rotating shaft including second planet carrier, and selectively connected with first rotating shaft and simultaneously and directly connected with input shaft, sixth rotating shaft including third sun gear, seventh rotating shaft including fourth sun gear, and selectively connected with sixth rotating shaft and simultaneously and selectively connected to transmission housing, eighth rotating shaft including fourth planet carrier, and selectively connected with sixth rotating shaft and simultaneously and dir
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Wonmin Cho, Jae Chang Kook, Myeong Hoon Noh, Seongwook Ji, Kangsoo Seo, Seong Wook Hwang
  • Patent number: 9822847
    Abstract: A planetary gear train of an automatic transmission for a vehicle may include: an input shaft receiving torque of an engine; an output shaft outputting changed torque; a first planetary gear set including a first rotation element, a second rotation element, and a third rotation element; a second planetary gear set including a fourth rotation element, a fifth rotation element, and a sixth rotation element; a third planetary gear set including a seventh rotation element, an eighth rotation element, and a ninth rotation element; and a fourth planetary gear set including a tenth rotation element, an eleventh rotation element, and a twelfth rotation element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Chang Wook Lee, Sueng Ho Lee, Dong Hwan Hwang, Seong Wook Hwang, Seongwook Ji, Wonmin Cho, JongSool Park, KyeongHun Lee, Myeong Hoon Noh
  • Patent number: 9815522
    Abstract: A bicycle shifting apparatus comprises a shifting controller. The shifting controller is configured to control one of a front shifting device and a rear shifting device to change one of a front shift position and a rear shift position in response to a user input. The shifting controller is configured to control the other of the front shifting device and the rear shifting device to change the other of the front shift position and the rear shift position with a delay time period in conjunction with the one of the front shifting device and the rear shifting device in response to the user input. The shifting controller is configured to change the delay time period based on at least one of a gear ratio, the rear shift position, and a current rotational speed of a bicycle crank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: SHIMANO INC.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Tachibana, Kazuhiro Fujii, Yuta Mizutani, Keijiro Nishi, Yuki Kataoka, Ryuichiro Takamoto, Ayumi Kato
  • Patent number: 9810306
    Abstract: In a differential device, paired side gears include shaft portions and intermediate wall portions formed in a flat plate shape intersecting an axis of the output shafts, the intermediate wall portions integrally connecting the shaft portions to toothing portions of the side gears separated outward from the shaft portions in a radial direction of an input member, respectively. Each of the intermediate wall portions is formed with a width in the radial direction which is longer than a maximum diameter of a pinion. A cover portion includes a boss portion and a side wall portion connected to the boss portion and having an outer side surface as a surface orthogonal to the axis of the output shafts. A back surface of at least one of the intermediate wall portion and the toothing portion is supported on an inner side surface of the side wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Musashi Seimitsu Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoya Nishimura, Hiroyuki Mori
  • Patent number: 9797502
    Abstract: An axle assembly having a lubricant reservoir. A bearing cap may be disposed on first and second legs of a differential carrier. The first leg and the bearing cap may cooperate to define at least a portion of a lubricant reservoir. A lubricant passage may extend through the first leg to provide lubricant from the lubricant reservoir to a first roller bearing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Brian D. Hayes, Robert J. Martin
  • Patent number: 9797459
    Abstract: In a hydraulic system with a dog clutch (23-25), a hydraulically operated dog clutch actuator is arranged to alternatively bring the dog clutch into a connect mode or a disconnect mode. The clutch actuator has a piston (27) reciprocally movable under hydraulic pressure between two end positions, corresponding to the two clutch modes. Pressurized hydraulic oil is supplied to the clutch actuator by a hydraulic power system comprising a pump (4) driven by an electric motor (3). Means are provided in the clutch actuator to decrease the hydraulic pressure acting on the piston (27) at the approaching by the piston of either of its end positions, so that a hydraulic signal is transmitted back to the hydraulic power system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: BorgWarner Sweden AB
    Inventor: Lars Severinsson
  • Patent number: 9791013
    Abstract: In a default-to-park system for a transmission, a lever member has a cylindrical hub configured to rotate about a spindle. The lever member has a transverse plate including a lever arm connected to a park release actuator and to a link to a park pawl of the transmission. Under normal operation, a transmission controller shifts the actuator to turn the lever arm and release the park pawl so the transmission can rotate. In an absence of a signal from the controller to the actuator, a bias spring restores the lever arm so that the transmission is locked. The bias spring comprises torsion coils disposed over the hub, a fixed end, and a drive end. The drive end has a heel segment bearing against a transverse surface of the transverse plate facing the torsion coils and a loading hook wrapped around an edge of the transverse plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Todd C. Spaulding, Susan M. Wyatt
  • Patent number: 9784353
    Abstract: A transmission includes a torque converter stator with controllable blade angle. A controller adjust the blades by commanding fluid pressures in hydraulic circuits routed to the stator hub. The controller also adjust the torque capacity of a torque converter bypass clutch by commanding fluid pressures in hydraulic circuits routed to apply and release chambers. Various schemes are presented to multiplex hydraulic circuits to serve multiple functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven Anatole Frait, Vincent Patrick LaVoie, Norman Jerry Bird, John Edward Brevick
  • Patent number: 9784364
    Abstract: A planetary carrier where the second pinion gears are disposed so as to be at least partially located in the spaces between the adjacent bridge portions, an outer peripheral surface of each of the bridge portions is provided with a spline onto which a friction engagement plate constituting a friction engagement element is fitted, an inner peripheral surface of each of the bridge portions is provided with a pair of wall portions that extend in the axial direction along side edges on both sides of each of the bridge portions and protrude radially inward, and each of the bridge portions is provided with a plurality of oil holes through which an inside and an outside of each of the bridge portions communicate with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nakatsune Hattori, Motoshi Asano, Tsubasa Deguchi, Keisuke Nakashima, Takeshi Torii
  • Patent number: 9777830
    Abstract: A power transmission device that is mounted on a vehicle and provided with a transmission having a plurality of engagement elements for transmitting power from a motor to an axle, a case that accommodates the transmission, and a hydraulic control device that controls hydraulic pressure to the plurality of engagement elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichi Tsuchida, Yoshimitsu Hyodo, Yuhei Yoshioka, Nobuhiko Miyamoto, Mitsuhiro Hasama
  • Patent number: 9777829
    Abstract: An enhanced control system for an electronic automatic transmission enables the transmission to operate in a full neutral idle, a reverse lock-out, and an inching mode. These functions improve the mileage and durability of the operation of the transmission. They also enable the inching mode for use especially in industrial applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Powertrain Control Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Charles R. Turner
  • Patent number: 9777801
    Abstract: A transmission for a vehicle may include a first planetary gear set, a second planetary gear set, a third, planetary gear set, and a fourth planetary gear set each including three rotary elements, and a plurality of friction members, in which the friction members are connected to at least one or more of the rotary elements of the planetary gear sets and control rotation of the rotary elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Jae Chang Kook, Seong Wook Hwang, Hyun Sik Kwon, Seong Wook Ji, Won Min Cho, Kang Soo Seo, Myeong Hoon Noh
  • Patent number: 9777781
    Abstract: A rotary actuated clutch, comprising an axis of rotation, a housing, an input hub, an intermediate hub, and an output hub. For a first locked mode, the intermediate hub and the output hub are non-rotatably connected to the housing, and for a torque-transmitting mode the input hub is arranged to receive torque in a first circumferential direction, the input hub is arranged to rotate in the first circumferential direction to disengage the intermediate hub from the housing, and the intermediate hub is arranged to rotate the output hub in the first circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Todd J. Sturgin, Philip George
  • Patent number: 9765870
    Abstract: An electric actuator for use with a drive apparatus is disclosed herein. An electric motor drives a reduction gear train to position a control shaft, the reduction gear train having a worm drive that motivates a spur gear reduction. A slip clutch is disposed between the worm drive and spur gear reduction to protect the components of the reduction gear train, and to also place a limit on the torque applied to the control shaft. The housing of the electric actuator features a motor chamber to accommodate the electric motor and is sealed by a cap having an electric connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Ivan E. Fox, Austin J. Templin, Jesse L. Probst