Patents Examined by Raveen J Dias
  • Patent number: 11555533
    Abstract: To provide a chain guide that can improve transportability and assembly operation efficiency, while also ensuring stable running of a timing chain and enhancing durability, with a simple structure. The chain guide has a guide shoe that slidably guides a chain, and a chain guide body that supports the guide shoe. A compression limiter having an attachment hole through which a mounting bolt for attaching the chain guide to an attachment target member passes is fitted in a fixing through hole extending through the chain guide body in a width direction thereof. A compression limiter holding mechanism is provided either to the compression limiter or to a hole rim part including the fixing through hole of the chain guide body in order to hold the compression limiter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: TSUBAKIMOTO CHAIN CO.
    Inventors: Masakazu Kanosue, Masanori Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11543004
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a chain drive system capable of reducing sliding resistance between a chain and a guide shoe, suppressing an increase, over time, in sliding resistance, and reducing wear on the guide shoe. A chain drive system according to the present invention includes a chain having a plurality of chain plates, a plurality of sprockets on which the chain is wound, and one or more guides each including, integrally or separately, a guide shoe having a chain-running surface, and slidably guiding, in presence of lubricating oil, the chain. At least one of the plurality of chain plates has a lubricant region retaining a solid lubricant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: TSUBAKIMOTO CHAIN CO.
    Inventor: Masahiro Koyama
  • Patent number: 11534812
    Abstract: A device for applying coiling-tension to a slit band sheet includes an upper structure that is disposed on the upper side of a band sheet which has been passed through a slitter line and slitted; and a lower structure that is disposed on the lower side of the band sheet and faces the upper structure vertically. In addition, an upper belt is stretched on an outer peripheral surface of the upper structure. A lower belt is stretched on an outer peripheral surface of the lower structure. The upper structure has a first reversing portion, an upper pressing portion, and a second reversing portion. The first reversing portion and the upper pressing portion are integrated with each other. A tension adjusting mechanism is installed on side surfaces of the first reversing portion and the upper pressing portion and a side surface of the second reversing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: JDC, Inc.
    Inventor: Naoto Hashikawa
  • Patent number: 11536350
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a tensioning apparatus includes a housing and a fastener extending at least partially through the housing. The apparatus also includes a trolley adjustably positioned within the housing about the fastener. The apparatus also includes a pulley disposed outside the housing and coupled to the trolley, where the pulley moves in unison with the trolley along an opening in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Inventors: Jacob Long, Jeff Fontenault, Miguel Montemayor
  • Patent number: 11530738
    Abstract: A pulley stopper including: a clamp portion that includes a bar-shaped upper clamp and a bar-shaped lower clamp; and a pair of fasteners that are disposed at opposite ends of the clamp portion to couple the upper clamp and the lower clamp. The pair of fasteners and the clamp portion are coupled such that the upper clamp and the lower clamp are fixed side by side through the coupling of the fastener and the movement of a belt disposed between the upper clamp and the lower clamp is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Ju Hyun Jo, Yun Deok Kim
  • Patent number: 11506257
    Abstract: An element of a transmission including: a rocking edge portion with a convex surface formed on one of a front face and a rear face, so that the rocking edge portion extends over a pillar portion at least partially, the rocking edge portion having a contact line where the adjacent elements contact each other serves as a fulcrum of rotation of the adjacent elements; and a recessed non-contact portion extends along the saddle surface, to avoid contact with the adjacent element, and that divides the rocking edge portion in the width direction at least partially. A depth of the non-contact portion is set so that an end portion of the non-contact portion is positioned on an inner peripheral side of the transmission belt relative to the contact line when a winding radius is minimized, and the end portion does not reach the trunk portion on the inner peripheral side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Ochi, Takayuki Miyake
  • Patent number: 11486473
    Abstract: A stack of disk springs are placed between a second piston of a dual hydraulic variable force tensioner system and a hydraulic tensioner arm to allow much higher spring rates if desired. The springs may be stacked in multiple configurations to provide different spring rates. Package space can be reduced depending on the number of springs and orientations of said springs within the tensioner arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Keith B. Cobb, Sean Simmons, Kevin Todd
  • Patent number: 11479322
    Abstract: A chain damper for use with a bicycle may include a base having an attachment region that is configured to be attached to a bicycle and a chain receiving portion extending from the base in a first direction. The chain receiving portion can include a chain damping surface that includes a resiliently deformable damping material and at least partially bounds a chain receiving aperture. The chain receiving aperture may extend in an axial direction and may be configured so that when the chain damper is attached to the bicycle the axial direction is substantially aligned with the primary chain direction and the chain damping surface is spaced apart from the chain travel path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Inventors: Christopher Kovarik, Jaan Peter Aked-Hurditch
  • Patent number: 11472509
    Abstract: A rear derailleur of a bicycle includes a fixing portion connected to a frame of the bicycle, a linkage assembly pivotally connected between the fixing portion and the moving portion, a moving portion pivotally connected to the linkage assembly, a chain guide assembly connected to the moving portion, and a driving assembly including a clutch assembly, a motor, and a driving gear assembly connected to the clutch assembly. The clutch assembly is disposed between the fixing portion and the linkage assembly and includes a first clutch member and a second clutch member. When a relative rotational torque between the first clutch member and the second clutch member is greater than a predetermined resistance, the first clutch teeth and the second clutch teeth shift relatively. Thereby, the driving gear assembly or the output shaft of the motor could be prevented from damaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Tien Hsin Industries Co., LTD
    Inventor: Alfredo Sala
  • Patent number: 11473652
    Abstract: To provide a universal design chain guide that can provide a position, track, and length of contact between the chain guide and the chain for optimal performance even when used with different types of chains. The chain guide includes a guide surface slidably guiding a running chain and at least one mounting part. The guide surface includes a first guide surface extending along a longitudinal direction and a second guide surface parallel to and protruding more than the first guide surface. The second guide surface protrudes from the first guide surface with varying heights along the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: TSUBAKIMOTO CHAIN CO.
    Inventors: Kenji Muratsubaki, Tsutomu Namie
  • Patent number: 11466755
    Abstract: A chain guide and tensioning apparatus is disclosed that is configured for engagement (contact) with a driven chain (e.g., in an automotive engine). The chain guide and tensioning apparatus includes a guide body and a guide face overlying the guide body. The guide face defines an inner surface and an opposite outer surface that is configured to guide and tension the driven chain. The guide face includes a plurality of spacers that extend therefrom into engagement (contact) with the guide body so as to define at least one channel that is configured to facilitate air and/or lubricant circulation between the guide body and the guide face to reduce heat and friction generated by engagement of the driven chain with the guide face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Alan L. Moster, Hiroyuki Fukuyama, Timothy K. White
  • Patent number: 11466756
    Abstract: Systems are provided for a belt tensioner. In one example, the belt tensioner comprises a fluid chamber divided into a first portion and a second portion via a dividing wall. An eccentric housing, which defines the fluid chamber, rotates relative to the dividing wall based on a spring force and a belt force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Allan Kaminski, Kevin Maile
  • Patent number: 11454302
    Abstract: A pulley stopper including: a clamp portion that includes a bar-shaped upper clamp and a bar-shaped lower clamp; and a pair of fasteners that are disposed at opposite ends of the clamp portion to couple the upper clamp and the lower clamp. The pair of fasteners and the clamp portion are coupled such that the upper clamp and the lower clamp are fixed side by side through the coupling of the fastener and the movement of a belt disposed between the upper clamp and the lower clamp is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: LG CHEM, LTD.
    Inventors: Ju Hyun Jo, Yun Deok Kim
  • Patent number: 11454310
    Abstract: A pulley device for supporting a belt of chain tensioning idler or a runner roller includes a bearing having an outer ring mounted for rotation relative to a coaxial inner ring and at least one pulley part that is C-shaped in cross section. The pulley part has an inner portion with a frustoconical inner surface mounted on an outer cylindrical surface of the outer ring, an outer cylindrical portion having an outer cylindrical surface configured to support a belt or a chain, and an intermediate portion extending radially inward from the cylindrical outer portion to the inner portion. The pulley part is integral and has an open end on an axial side opposite the intermediate portion. The frustoconical surface extends inwardly towards the outer ring, and the inner surface is force fitted onto the outer cylindrical surface of the outer ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventors: Benoit Arnault, Mickael Chollet, Benoît Hauvespre, Nicolas Tronquoy
  • Patent number: 11454299
    Abstract: An element for a transmission belt that is wound around a primary pulley and a secondary pulley of a continuously variable transmission includes: a trunk portion having a saddle surface that is in contact with a ring of the transmission belt; and a pair of pillar portions extending from the trunk portion so as to be positioned on both sides of the saddle surface in a width direction. The saddle surface is a convex surface that is formed by an elliptic arc and satisfies b/a?0.015 when a long diameter of the elliptic arc is regarded as “a” and a short diameter of the elliptic arc is regarded as “b”. In this way, it is possible to optimize the stress distribution of the ring that is in contact with the saddle surface and improve the durability of the ring and the transmission belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Ochi, Wataru Ishihara, Takayuki Miyake, Junichi Tokunaga
  • Patent number: 11448292
    Abstract: To provide a tensioner that can keep the oil pressure in an oil pressure chamber stable and consistently generate suitable reaction force and damping force to impact loads to reduce looseness in the chain and noise. A piston is set such as to partition an inner space of a plunger into an adjustment space on the front side and the oil pressure chamber on the rear side, a piston restricting member restricting the movement of the piston toward the adjustment space. An oil relief mechanism is configured to cause the piston to move forward when oil pressure in the oil pressure chamber rises so as to discharge oil inside the oil pressure chamber to the outside. The piston restricting member has an orifice function that can control the amount of discharged oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: TSUBAKIMOTO CHAIN CO.
    Inventors: Yuichiro Ishikawa, Osamu Yoshida, Yuji Kurematsu, Masanori Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11448293
    Abstract: A variable force tensioner (VFT) system that includes a primary piston split into two chambers disposed within a primary bore. The two chambers including a first low pressure chamber having a primary reservoir therein that feeds fluid through a check valve into a second high pressure chamber to control a biasing force on the primary piston. A piston bore clearance path can extend along a groove in the primary bore to feed oil back to the primary reservoir from the high pressure chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Keith B. Cobb, Kevin Todd
  • Patent number: 11441481
    Abstract: A vehicle has an internal combustion engine, an accessory, and a system having first and second belts extending between a drive assembly rotatably connected to a crankshaft of the engine and a driven assembly rotatably connected to a driveshaft of the accessory. One of the drive and driven assemblies comprises a mechanism with a shaft supporting first and second pulleys, with the first and second pulleys associated with the first and second belts, respectively. The first pulley is selectively engaged with the shaft in response to an engine speed being below a threshold value, and the second pulley is selectively engaged with the shaft in response to the engine speed being above the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Hassan Farhat, Ravi Gopal
  • Patent number: 11434988
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for a pulley insert. In one example, a pulley insert for a FEAD pulley comprises a first member insertable into a pulley such that the first member is rotatable within the pulley, the first member comprising a cavity for receipt of a second member; and a second member insertable into the cavity of the first member such that, when the first member is inserted into a pulley and the second member is inserted into the cavity of the first member, the second member prevents rotation of the first member relative to the pulley.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robert Andrew Wade, Ada Kwok, Thomas Fisk, Jason Moores
  • Patent number: 11433972
    Abstract: A bicycle gearshift is operated by imposing on the chain guide a primary displacement in the axial direction with respect to a cogset, to move the chain between the sprockets. Simultaneously with imposing on the primary displacement imposing on the chain guide a secondary displacement in the radial direction with respect to the cogset. The secondary displacement is of a greater size when the primary displacement takes place in the area of the cogset with the larger sprockets whereas it is of a smaller size when the primary displacement takes place in the area of the cogset with the smaller sprockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Campagnolo S.r.L.
    Inventor: Paolo Pasqua