Patents Examined by Michael Gonzalez
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Patent number: 8104375Abstract: A differential gear unit for motor vehicles comprises a housing and, therein, a differential gear mechanism (8), two coaxial gear mechanisms and two controllable friction clutches, the coaxial gear mechanisms transmitting an additional torque to one or other axle shaft according to the degree of engagement of the friction clutches. In order for it also to be possible for very high forces to be absorbed in long-term operation with very low installation space and wear, the coaxial gear mechanisms have in each case one internal gear which is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to one side of the associated friction clutch, and one sun gear which is connected fixedly in terms of rotation to the respective output element, and the second element of each coaxial gear mechanism is a sun gear, and a third element is configured as an annular gear which has an external toothing system which meshes with the first element and an internal toothing system which meshes with the second element.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2006Date of Patent: January 31, 2012Assignee: Magna Steyr Fahrzeugtechnik AG & Co KGInventor: Helmut Kassler
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Patent number: 8100809Abstract: A first element of a duplex planetary gear set is selectively coupled to an input shaft via a third clutch, or is selectively fixed via a first brake. A second element is selectively coupled, via a second clutch, to an intermediate shaft that is directly coupled to a speed-increasing element of a simplex planetary gear set which increases the rotational speed of the input shaft, or is selectively fixed via a second brake. A third element is directly coupled to an output shaft. A fourth element is selectively coupled to the input shaft via a first clutch. Therefore, by increasing the speed of the rotation of the input shaft by the simplex planetary gear set and transferring it to the duplex planetary gear set, it is possible to reduce the torques on individual components of an automatic transmission and therefore to reduce the sizes of the individual components and the capacities of the individual friction engagement elements.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2005Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takao Taniguchi, Kazumasa Tsukamoto, Masahiro Hayabuchi, Akitoshi Katou, Satoru Kasuya, Naoji Katou, Hiroshi Katou, Masashi Kitou, Hiroaki Sanji, Naoki Takabayashi
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Patent number: 8096913Abstract: A locking differential assembly for use in a toy model vehicle. This is accomplished by mounting a locking clutch assembly on an output shaft of a differential gear carrier having an external face. The locking clutch assembly includes a slider member that may be configured to move along the output shaft to engage the external face to disable a differential action of the differential gear carrier.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2008Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: Traxxas LPInventors: Otto Karl Allmendinger, Brent Whitfield Byers, Timothy E. Roberts
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Patent number: 8083635Abstract: A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, three planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes a sun gear member, a planet carrier member, and a ring gear member. The torque transmitting devices include five clutches and one brake arranged within a transmission housing.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2008Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Andrew W. Phillips, Clinton E. Carey, James M. Hart, Scott H. Wittkopp
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Patent number: 8075441Abstract: A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque-transmitting devices. Further, a hydraulic fluid control circuit is provided for controlling the operation of the plurality of torque-transmitting devices. The hydraulic fluid control circuit receives pressurized hydraulic fluid from an off-axis hydraulic fluid pump and has a plurality of fluid passages disposed in the transmission house, input shaft, output shaft and other coupling members.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2009Date of Patent: December 13, 2011Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: James M. Hart, Scott H. Wittkopp, Clinton E. Carey, Andrew W. Phillips, James B. Borgerson, Steven P. Moorman, Elizabeth I. Wooden, Edwin T. Grochowski
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Patent number: 8075439Abstract: An automatic opening-closing device, especially for a cover or seat of a toilet, has a motor having a motor shaft, a speed reducer connected to the motor shaft, a planetary gearbox driven by the speed reducer, an output axle for driving the cover between an open position and a closed position. A protection device limits the torque between the output axle and an output shaft of the planetary gearbox.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2009Date of Patent: December 13, 2011Assignee: Johnson Electric S.A.Inventors: Jingning Ta, Zhiqiang Wu, Jicheng Pan
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Patent number: 8075437Abstract: A multi-speed countershaft transmission for a vehicle is provided. The transmission includes a main shaft and countershaft gears that receive input directly from an input member. A plurality of torque transmitting mechanisms may be selectively applied to synchronize a range gear to a countershaft. The countershaft transfers torque to an output gear set, which may transfer torque to a planetary gear set. The available range gears include a plurality of forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio. One or more power take-off sections may also be provided.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2008Date of Patent: December 13, 2011Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.Inventor: Dane L. Rodgers, II
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Patent number: 8066606Abstract: A multi-group transmission of a vehicle is arranged in a drivetrain and includes traction force support during gearshift operations. A clutch mechanism, including a frictional clutch and two shifting clutches is arranged between a drive motor with a driveshaft and a transmission input shaft, such that the driveshaft can be connected to the transmission input shaft by one shifting clutch in a first shift position in combination with the frictional clutch or in a second shift position with bridging of the frictional clutch, such that the driveshaft can be directly connected to a main transmission shaft by the other shifting clutch in a shift position in active combination with the frictional clutch. In a method for operating the transmission, the frictional clutch is controlled and operated in combination with the first shifting clutch as a starting clutch and with the second shifting clutch as an intermediate-gear clutch.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2009Date of Patent: November 29, 2011Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Alan Dittrich, Rayk Hoffmann
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Patent number: 8062163Abstract: A transmission is disclosed having an input member, an output member, three planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes a sun gear member, a planet carrier member, and a ring gear member. The torque transmitting devices include five clutches and one brake arranged within a transmission housing.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2008Date of Patent: November 22, 2011Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Scott H. Wittkopp, James M. Hart, Andrew W. Phillips, Clinton E. Carey
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Patent number: 8057352Abstract: A differential apparatus for a vehicle comprises a pair of output gears 3, 4, first and second pinion gear 5, 6 intermeshing with the output pinion gears, and a differential case 2 accommodating the output gears and pinion gears. The second pinion gear 6 has large and small gear portions 6A, 6B whose pitch diameters are different and whose which tooth numbers is same respectively, and a tooth crest 60 and a tooth recess 61 formed to be shared by the large and the small gear portions 6A, 6B continuously from the large gear portion 6B to the small gear portion 6A.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2009Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: JTEKT CorporationInventor: Makoto Nishiji
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Patent number: 8052564Abstract: A differential gear unit has a pinion gear that can spin as well as revolve, a differential case that has a pinion retaining portion that supports the pinion gear, and a pair of side gears that mesh with the pinion gear. Frictional force generated at a portion where the pinion gear contacts the pinion retaining portion when the rotation speed of one side gear is faster than the rotation speed of the other side gear is different from the frictional force generated between the pinion gear and the pinion retaining portion when the rotation speed of the one side gear is slower than the rotation speed of the other side gear.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2009Date of Patent: November 8, 2011Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kenichiro Hayashi
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Patent number: 8047950Abstract: A transmission of the present invention has an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices may include clutches and brakes. The torque transmitting devices are selectively engageable in combinations of at least three to establish at least nine forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2009Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Scott H. Wittkopp, Andrew W. Phillips, James M. Hart, Clinton E. Carey
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Patent number: 8047951Abstract: A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2008Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Scott H. Wittkopp, Andrew W. Phillips, Clinton E. Carey, James M. Hart
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Patent number: 8050827Abstract: A vehicle has an engine, an accelerator for controlling the rotary speed of the engine, an axle and a multi-speed transmission for transmitting power from the engine to the axle. The multi-speed transmission includes an odd-numbered speed drive train for an odd-numbered speed level, a first clutch for the odd-numbered speed drive train, an even-numbered speed drive train for an even-numbered speed level, and a second clutch for the even-numbered speed drive train. In correspondence to operation of the accelerator and an actual speed of the axle, either the odd-numbered speed drive train or the even-numbered speed drive train is selected so as to transmit power from the engine to the axle. A shift-up or shift-down timing between the odd-numbered speed level and the even-numbered speed level relative to variation of the actual speed of the axle is changed according to detection of a tilt angle of the vehicle or a weight of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2008Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshiyuki Hasegawa, Tomoyuki Ebihara, Hideki Kanenobu, Kazunari Koga, Norihiro Ishii
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Patent number: 8043192Abstract: A transmission of the present invention has an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices may include clutches and brakes. The torque transmitting devices are selectively engageable in combinations of at least three to establish at least ten forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2009Date of Patent: October 25, 2011Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Andrew W. Phillips, James M. Hart, Clinton E. Carey, Scott H. Wittkopp
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Patent number: 8033950Abstract: A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, three planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2008Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Scott H. Wittkopp, Clinton E. Carey, Andrew W. Phillips, James M. Hart, Madhusudan Raghavan
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Patent number: 8028603Abstract: In a flat wave gear device in which a flexible externally toothed gear and the rigid internally toothed gear have the same number of teeth, an arcuate tooth profile is imparted to a flexible externally toothed gear, a contact point C between tooth profiles of a flexible externally toothed gear and a D-side rigid internally toothed gear is determined from an arc center A of the arcuate tooth profile of the flexible externally toothed gear and from a momentary center S of relative movement between the gears, and a main part of a tooth profile to be formed in the D-side rigid internally toothed gear is calculated based on the contact point. The tooth profile of the D-side rigid internally toothed gear can be accurately designed; therefore, meshing between the gears can occur with zero backlash, ratcheting torque can be increased, and continuous meshing can occur across a wide range of the movement locus of the tooth profiles of both gears.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2008Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.Inventor: Shoichi Ishikawa
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Patent number: 8029405Abstract: A gear train of an automatic transmission for vehicles has two simple planetary gear sets and one compound planetary gear set with four clutches and three brakes to achieve ten forward speeds and three reverse speeds.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2009Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Hyundai Motor CompanyInventor: Woo Yeol Kim
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Patent number: 8021261Abstract: A differential limiting apparatus includes a housing 2 rotated by driving force of a driving source, a differential mechanism 3 having a pair of output gears 3A, 3B to distribute the driving force to a pair of output shafts differentially, a clutch 4 disposed directly between the pair of output gears 3A, 3B and having the inner clutch plate 4A and an outer clutch plate 4B as an annular frictional plate to restrict a differential movement of the differential mechanism 3, and an output mechanism 5 driving the clutch 4. The output mechanism 5 includes a first cam 52C moved along an axial direction, and a pushing pin 35 as a transmitting member transmitting the axial movement of said first cam 52C to the clutch 4.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2008Date of Patent: September 20, 2011Assignee: JTEKT CorporationInventor: Shinichiro Nakajima
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Patent number: 8007398Abstract: A transmission is provided having an input member, an output member, four planetary gear sets, a plurality of coupling members and a plurality of torque transmitting devices. Each of the planetary gear sets includes first, second and third members. The torque transmitting devices include clutches and brakes. The torque transmitting devices are selectively engageable in combinations of at least three to establish at least ten forward speed ratios and at least one reverse speed ratio between the input member and the output member.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2008Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Andrew W. Phillips, Scott H. Wittkopp, James M. Hart, Clinton E. Carey