Patents Examined by Peter Kwon
  • Patent number: 5435792
    Abstract: A multiple-speed transmission for use in an automotive vehicle driveline includes a torque converter, three simple planetary gear units, one-way clutches and brakes, friction clutches, and friction brakes. The engaged and disegaged state of the friction elements permit the transmission to produce several underdrive speed ratios, a direct drive ratio, and several overdrive ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Clinton F Justice, Stanley L. Pierce
  • Patent number: 5435210
    Abstract: A differential drive mechanism comprises a cage, which is rotatable about a first axis and represents the input, two coaxial output shafts which are rotatable with respect to the cage about the first axis, a coupling which is connected eccentrically to the two output shafts to transmit relative contra-rotational movement between them by connections which permit relative rotation of the coupling and the output shafts about a second axis parallel to the first axis and a restraint member which is coupled to the cage and to the coupling such that the coupling is rotatable with respect to the cage about a third axis perpendicular to the axis and capable of reciprocation in a direction perpendicular to the first axis but prevented from movement in a direction parallel to the first axis. The eccentric connections are constituted by a respective eccentric hole in the inner end of each output shaft in which the associated end of the coupling is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignees: Ricardo Consulting Engineers Limited, Axial Wave Drive BV Bridge Works
    Inventors: John W. Moore, John C. Carden
  • Patent number: 5435795
    Abstract: A vehicle drivetrain control system reduces the torque of a clutch to a desired level determined as a function of the engine speed during a predetermined period of time initiated by depression of a foot brake. The function is representative of torque versus engine speed characteristic of the drivetrain during coasting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1995
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuaki Mochizuki, Hirofumi Okahara, Seiji Kaminaga
  • Patent number: 5429005
    Abstract: A transmission system having a first clutch for receiving engine drive, a second clutch disposed downstream of the first clutch with respect to a direction of drive transmission, change speed gearing disused between the first clutch and second clutch, a first transmission shaft for transmitting drive from the first clutch to the change speed gearing, a second transmission shaft for transmitting drive in varied speeds from the change speed gearing to the second clutch, a third transmission shaft for transmitting drive from the second clutch to drive wheels, and a third clutch for transmitting drive at a low speed to the first transmission shaft. The first clutch and second clutch are disengageable upon start of a shifting operation of the change speed gearing, and re-engageable upon completion of the shifting operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Assignee: Kubota Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsu Fukui, Takeshi Ura, Shigekazu Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 5429559
    Abstract: A control system/method (104) for controlling execution of selected shifts of a mechanical transmission system (10) is provided. The control system includes a central processing unit (106) for receiving input signals indicative of engine or input shaft (11/98) speeds and of output shaft or vehicle speed (VS) speeds and from a driver control console (108) indicative of manual or automatic selection of upshifts or downshifts from a currently engaged gear ratio and processing the same in accordance with predetermined logic rule to issue command output signals to a transmission actuator (112, 70, 96) to implement the selected shifts upon a manually or automatically caused torque break of the transmission and manually or automatically caused substantial synchronization of the transmission thereafter. The predetermined logic rules include a strategy for sensing conditions indicative of a potentially dangerous downhill free-wheeling situation and for immediately causing the forced engagement of a gear ratio (GR.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Jon A. Steeby
  • Patent number: 5429557
    Abstract: An automatic transmission for a motor vehicle includes a layshaft gearset (38, 40), a planetary gearset (96), two concentrically arranged planetary gear units (44, 54), certain elements of which are continually interconnected, friction clutches (76, 78), brake band (46), friction brakes (92, 106), and overrunning coupling (80). The input shaft of the transmission is adapted to drive elements of the planetary gear units through the layshaft gearset and planetary gearset. A single gear wheel (57) is formed with the ring gear (48) of the first gear unit and the sun gear (56) of the second gear unit. Carriers (50, 60) of the gear units are connected to an output shaft (64), which drives output gearing (66, 68) and a differential mechanism (70).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventor: Rudolf Beim
  • Patent number: 5425688
    Abstract: A shift fork for a forward-reverse shift mechanism has a hydraulic piston portion for moving the shift fork. The piston is controlled by a hydraulic valve system. The valve system is effective to delay the engagement of the respective forward and reverse, hydraulically-operated, torque transfer devices. The shift fork will enforce the establishment of the proper power path through a synchronizer prior to the engagement of the torque transfer control devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1995
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: James A. Raszkowski
  • Patent number: 5425283
    Abstract: A countershaft type multi-speed power transmission has a plurality of gear meshes disposed on three axes including a forward final drive gear and a reverse final drive gear. Both the low forward ratio and the reverse ratio drive paths include a common one-way device. The gear meshes and a plurality of selectively operable friction clutches are positioned on shafting disposed on the three axes to provide a compact overall axial length for the transmission assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1995
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Jeffrey B. Wehking
  • Patent number: 5421793
    Abstract: The present invention relates to technology wherein the torque input to an automatic transmission is estimated using an intake flow rate corrected by eliminating an intake flow rate friction component, the invention enabling the intake flow rate at the time of cool down to be accurately corrected. The characteristics of warm-up intake flow rate friction component versus engine rotational speed are pre-stored, and a warm-up intake flow rate friction component retrieved from an actual engine speed. A ratio for when the automatic transmission is in a non driving range, between the actual intake flow rate and the retrieved warm-up intake flow rate friction component is then obtained to set a correction coefficient. The warm-up intake flow rate friction component is then corrected by the most recently set correction coefficient, and this becomes the intake flow rate friction component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1995
    Assignee: Unisia Jecs Corporation
    Inventor: Masuo Kashiwabara
  • Patent number: 5415597
    Abstract: A stepless automatic variable transmission with gears in a state of constant meshing which is operational without the need for disengaging or changing the gears such that the rotational output power can be varied to effect a neutral, low speed, medium speed, high speed, overdrive or reverse rotation by selecting a stepless automatic speed change method or a manual speed change method, and which includes a speed change system, an overdrive system and a speed change controlling system.The assembly of speed change system (10, 110, 310, 410, 510, 610), the overdrive system (50, 360, 660, 760) and the speed change controlling system (80, 180, 380, 680, 780) can vary with each of the systems combined to result in numerous stepless automatic variable transmissions. To effect speed changes low speed, medium speed, overdrive, and reverse rotation brake means are used. Also, either the manual speed change method or the automatic speed change method can be selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignees: Jong O. Ra, Joon Y. Lim
    Inventors: Jong O. Ra, Joon Y. Lim, Wan M. Yoo
  • Patent number: 5408895
    Abstract: A control method/system is provided for controlling start from stop shifting operations of a vehicular semi-automatic transmission system (10) of the type automatically implementing selected gear changes of a mechanical change gear transmission (12) and requiring manual operation (3) of the vehicle master clutch (16) in start from stop conditions is provided. During engagement of a selected start ratio, the system controller (38) monitors for gear butt conditions and will warn the operator if such conditions are sensed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1995
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Kwok W. Chan, Anthony Stasik, Robert S. Wheeler, Keith Wright
  • Patent number: 5403250
    Abstract: In an arrangement for adjusting the clutch slip of a friction clutch arranged on the output side of an engine of a motor vehicle, a control variable, formed as a function of the operating point of the engine and of an associated set point value for the clutch slip read out of a characteristic diagram, is applied directly to a clutch control element which adjusts the clutch slip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1995
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventor: Gunter Juergens
  • Patent number: 5394768
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a multi strand bicycle pull cable with a fixed cable anchor at either terminal end thereof, wherein the cable directly forward of the anchors is provided with a fixative to prevent unraveling after a cable anchor has been removed,A bicycle pull cable comprised of a multi strand metal cable (1) having a cable anchor (2) secured to either end, portions of the cable at least directly abutting the anchors are bound (3) by a fixing agent to prevent unwinding of the strands of the cable after an anchor has been cut from the cable by cutting across a bound portion of the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Inventor: Orrin S. Hallock, III
  • Patent number: 5394764
    Abstract: A bevel gear forward/reverse mechanism comprises bevel gears, a locking device for forward drive and a band brake for reverse drive. The locking device includes tapered pins mounted to a flanged hub which is slidably mounted on an input shaft of a differential unit and locks the input shaft to the differential unit for forward drive. The differential unit is unlocked when the band brake stops the differential unit from rotating for reverse drive. This mechanism also provides a neutral and a drive shaft brake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1995
    Inventor: Anthony W. Fini, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5390559
    Abstract: A multiple-speed ratio transmission mechanism for an automotive vehicle includes a torque input shaft, an output shaft, an intermediate shaft, these three shafts rotatably supported on a common axis, and a countershaft mounted parallel to the other shafts. Multiple pinion-gear pairs are supported on the three coaxial shafts and countershaft. A planetary gear unit, including a sun gear, ring gear, and a set of planet pinions rotatably supported on a carrier, has its input connected to the intermediate shaft and the output connected to the output shaft. Synchronizers drivably connect a member of the pinion-gear pairs to one of the shafts. A shift mechanism transmits motion of a shift lever to shift forks that move synchronizer sleeves into engagement with the selected gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Steven G. Thomas, David A. Janson
  • Patent number: 5389053
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for controlling a shift event in a transmission wherein a shift actuator develops a force to effect the engagement of a clutch collar and a gear. The method comprises detecting when a non-fully engaged condition of the clutch collar and the gear occurs, indicating either a tooth butt or torque lock condition, and then pulsing the shift actuator, when the non-fully engaged condition is detected, between a relatively low force and a relatively high force to disturb the clutch collar and the gear out of the non-fully engaged condition. The detecting step comprises examining either the axial position of the clutch collar or the axial position of a shift rail operatively connected to the clutch collar with a rail position sensor. Preferably, a signal having a modulated pulse width and a frequency of between about 5 and 20 Hertz is sent to the shift actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1995
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Jon A. Steeby, Todd W. Fritz
  • Patent number: 5377560
    Abstract: In a double-mass flywheel the flywheels of which are coupled with torsional flexibility by at least one set of at least two helical springs (31, 31'), it is proposed that the end spring (31') of the spring set arranged in a channel (29) encircling the axis of rotation (9) of the flywheels in a circular arc is pivoted to control elements (39, 53) of the flywheels via an endshoe (41). For this purpose, the endshoe (41) and the control elements (39, 53) are provided with guide surfaces which have the cross-sectional shape of a circular segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1995
    Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AG
    Inventors: Bernhard Schierling, Jorg Sudau
  • Patent number: 5376057
    Abstract: A gear set is provided having a plurality of two-stage intermediate gears which do not require indexing on assembly or reassembly of the gear train. This is provided by aligning the two-stage gear teeth in axial alignment tooth for tooth between the stage while maintaining an appropriate number of teeth on the input and output gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Company
    Inventors: Timothy R. Cooper, Scott A. Delozier