Patents Examined by Richard Lorence
  • Patent number: 9890819
    Abstract: A clutched device including an actuator and a clutch. The actuator can include a housing and a piston having a first, second, and third face. The first face and the housing can define a first chamber. The second face and the housing can define a second chamber. The second face can have a greater surface area than the first face. The third face and the housing can define a third chamber, isolated from the first and second chambers. A conduit can couple the first and second chambers. A vent can be coupled to the third chamber. A pump can pump fluid from a reservoir to the first chamber. A valve can selectively inhibit fluid communication between the second chamber and the reservoir. A shift element can be coupled to the piston for common translation and can move a clutch member between first and second positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. DeGowske, Paul J. Valente, James P. Downs
  • Patent number: 9885406
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a hydrokinetic torque coupling device for a motor vehicle. The coupling device includes a torque input element (11) intended to be coupled to a crankshaft (1), an impeller wheel (3) rotationally coupled to the torque input element (11) and able to hydrokinetically drive a turbine wheel (4). The turbine wheel, in turn, drives a torque output element (8) intended to be coupled to a transmission input shaft (2). The device further includes a clutch (10) able to rotationally couple and uncouple the torque input element (11) and the torque output element (8) between engaged and disengaged positions. When the clutch is in an engaged position, torque passes from the torque input element (11) to the torque output element (8) through an included damper system (18, 22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Valeo Embrayages
    Inventor: Alexandre Depraete
  • Patent number: 9885407
    Abstract: A damper assembly for a torque converter is provided. The damper assembly includes a first cover plate including a spring retainer at a radial outer end of the first cover plate supporting springs; and a second cover plate including, at a radial outer end thereof, tabs for the springs, the tabs being in circumferential spaces between the springs The spring retainer and the tabs are fixed together inside the spring retainer. A method of forming a damper assembly is also provided. The method includes fixing a spring retainer at a radial outer end of a first cover plate to tabs at a radially outer end of a second cover plate inside the spring retainer. The tabs are in circumferential spaces between springs retained by the spring retainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Joshua David Cerreta
  • Patent number: 9863484
    Abstract: The invention relates to a friction ring (1) for a synchronizing unit (2) of a variable ratio gear transmission. The friction ring (1) comprises a conical friction body having an inner friction surface and an outer installation surface which each bound the friction ring body in a radial peripheral direction extending perpendicular to an axial friction ring axis (4). The friction ring body comprises a projection (9) for restraining a movement of the friction ring (1) relative to a synchronizer ring (7) substantially along the friction axis in operation in the synchronizing unit (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: OERLIKON FRICTION SYSTEMS (GERMANY) GMBH
    Inventors: Gary I. Skipper, Marcus Spreckels, Ulf Christoffer
  • Patent number: 9856937
    Abstract: A friction material for a motor vehicle drive train component is provided. The friction material includes an outer circumference, an inner circumference, an engagement surface configured for engaging with and disengaging from a mating component and a coined section extending between at least one of the outer circumference and the engagement surface and the inner circumference and the engagement surface. A method of forming a friction material for a motor vehicle drive train component is also provided. The method includes attaching a first axial surface of the friction material to a support and coining at least one of an inner circumference and an outer circumference at a second axial surface of a friction material to form a coined section. The second axial surface is on an opposite side as the first axial surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jasmina Subotic, Brian Stoller
  • Patent number: 9845833
    Abstract: A fan clutch assembly includes several features. A first feature relates to a lubrication passage that runs through the clutch package and has a return collection passage that extends through the operating piston. As a result, pitot tubes employed behind the piston may not be necessitated. Additionally, an anti-tamper device may be installed on the lead screw body to prevent adjustment of the fan hub and unintentional adjustment of the load carried on various bearings contained within the fan clutch assembly. Additionally, to position the speed sensor appropriately, a transfer shaft is provided that extends from the fan hub and/or lead screw back to the backside where a sensor is provided. This transfer shaft can be adjusted to precisely locate the sensor target relative to the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: GKN Rockford, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce A. Skaggs, Scott Orsinger
  • Patent number: 9845832
    Abstract: A vehicle transmission includes a transmission shaft, a friction element assembly mounted on the transmission shaft, a piston assembly for actuating the friction element assembly, a snap ring for retaining the friction element assembly and a mounting groove formed in the transmission shaft. The snap ring is installed into the mounting groove by expanding the snap ring and then allowing the snap to contract and enter the mounting groove. The mounting groove is located such that the snap ring could exit the mounting groove upon expansion of the snap ring due to a centrifugal force. Accordingly, various arrangements are provided to prevent the snap ring from leaving the mounting groove after installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bradley Ronald Heuver, Marv Young, Carl Garbacik
  • Patent number: 9845836
    Abstract: A clutch device for a clutch system has an input member that rotates at a first speed. A friction drive system is disposed between the input member and an output member. The clutch device is selectively movable by a fluid actuator assembly, between an engaged position in which the friction drive system drives the output member to rotate at the first speed, and a disengaged position in which a viscous drive system rotates the output member at a second speed slower than the first speed. A variable viscous fluid supply assembly includes a viscous fluid storage chamber, a valve, and a valve actuator that selectively drives the valve to move between an open position and a closed position to control an amount of viscous fluid available to the viscous drive system, thereby varying the second speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: KIT MASTERS
    Inventors: Dale Scherman, Daniel Huwe
  • Patent number: 9840139
    Abstract: A constructional unit for a hybrid powertrain of a motor vehicle includes: an electric machine with a stator and a rotor, wherein the rotor is configured to transmit a torque to the powertrain; a clutch arrangement with at least one clutch actuation unit, wherein the clutch arrangement is configured to decouple an internal combustion engine from the powertrain, the internal combustion engine being provided parallel to the electric machine for transmitting a torque; and a vibration absorber apparatus configured to reduce vibrations in the powertrain. The clutch actuation unit is arranged axially substantially radially within the vibration absorber apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Sven Ludsteck, Reinhard Deppert, Jürgen Buhlheller, Florian Schöneich, Mathias Kopp, Andreas Ratte, Alexander Bartha
  • Patent number: 9841068
    Abstract: A fixation structure for a selectable one-way clutch is provided. The fixation structure comprises: a stationary member in which the pocket plate is held coaxially; a projection formed on the pocket plate protruding radially outwardly; a spline groove formed in the stationary member to which the projection is inserted while keeping a predetermined clearance in a circumferential direction; and an elastic member that is interposed between the projection and the spline groove to push the projection in a direction that the strut held in an upper side of the pocket is moved toward the notch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Shioiri, Hideaki Komada, Hiroyuki Shibata, Yuki Kurosaki, Hiroki Yasui
  • Patent number: 9841065
    Abstract: A wet friction disk that can achieve a further reduction in the drag torque, which includes a ring-shaped core plate having a wave shape in a circumferential direction thereof, a friction member disposed on a principal surface of the core plate so as to being substantially shaped into a ring with a plurality of oil grooves, and the oil grooves each have a shape with a groove width that is narrowed from an inner circumference side toward an outer circumference side of the core plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: AISIN KAKO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroki Okamura
  • Patent number: 9835280
    Abstract: An expansion chamber device for clutch pedal vibration attenuation includes a cylindrical body having an inlet line integrally connected to and penetrating through a first end wall of the body. At an opposite end of the body from the first end wall is a discharge line integrally connected to and penetrating a second end wall of the body. A diameter of the expansion chamber device is approximately 3.8 cm and a length of the expansion chamber device ranges between approximately 10.2 cm to 15.2 cm. The expansion chamber device reduces vehicle and engine vibrations in a path including a clutch pedal over a frequency range between approximately 50 Hz to approximately 225 Hz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: David T. Hanner, Robert N. Paciotti, David J. Theis
  • Patent number: 9835204
    Abstract: A slip clutch (19) for a hand-held power tool (1) that serves to uncouple a tool socket (2) from a driving motor (5) in the event of an overload is provided. An annular running surface (23) has cams (24) projecting radially inward. The slip clutch (19) has a set of pairs consisting of a preloaded coil spring (28) and a pawl (29). The coil spring (28) presses a head (38) of the pawl (29) in the radial direction outward onto the running surface (23). The pawl (29) has a sheet-metal strip (34) whose one section is bent into a hollow prism that is annularly closed, except for a gap, in order to form the head (38). An insert (35) is placed into the gap (41) so as to fill the gap (41).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Thomas Granacher
  • Patent number: 9829052
    Abstract: The invention describes a switchable clutch for a motor vehicle with hybrid drive, wherein the hybrid drive has a voltage system with a voltage exceeding the 12-volt on-board electrical system voltage of the motor vehicle, composed of a friction disk clutch with an actuator, which can have electricity applied to it, for the actuation of the friction disk clutch in the sense of opening or closing, and wherein the actuator can be actuated with a voltage of the voltage system of the hybrid drive, said voltage exceeding the 12-volt on-board electrical system voltage of the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: MAGNA POWERTRAIN AG & CO KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Schweiger, Martin Stocker, Matthias Kohlhauser, Gerhard Pichler, Dominik Schober
  • Patent number: 9815472
    Abstract: A braking force control apparatus for a saddle ride vehicle includes a transmission controller which reduces driving force of an engine by a predetermined speed reduction ratio and transmits the driving force to a drive wheel, a clutch device which connects—disconnects the driving force between the engine and the transmission, a brake device which generates braking force on the drive wheel, and a sensor which detects a state of the transmission. The transmission switches between a neutral state and an in-gear state, and when the sensor detects that the transmission is switching from the neutral state to the in-gear state, the controller causes the brake device to generate braking force on the drive wheel, and then releases the braking force upon completion of the switching to the in-gear state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Makita, Masahiko Tsuchiya, Eiji Kittaka, Yasushi Fujimoto, Naoki Sakamoto, Masayuki Fujita, Hiroyuki Kaneta, Yoshiaki Sawano, Taisuke Nimura
  • Patent number: 9803701
    Abstract: A drive assembly for a motor vehicle clutch is provided. The drive assembly includes a damper including a plurality of springs, a first cover plate and second cover plate. The first and second cover plates support the springs therebetween and the second cover plate includes an outer portion extending radially outside of the first cover plate. The drive assembly further includes a subassembly including at least one clutch facing and at least one support segment supporting the at least one clutch facing. The at least one support segment includes an outer radial portion fixed to the at least one clutch facing and an inner radial portion connected to the outer portion of the second cover plate to connect the subassembly to the damper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Daniel Patiño Crespo, Guillermo Castrezana
  • Patent number: 9790737
    Abstract: A roller clutch for a window shade includes a housing, a bead chain wheel, and a roller adapter. Transmission of movement from the bead chain to the roller adapter depends upon the force applied by the bead chain to the roller clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: DRAPER, INC.
    Inventor: Harold R. Seib
  • Patent number: 9784322
    Abstract: A driven disc assembly is provided. The backing plates have right angle depression sections that surround mounting holes of a clutch disc. The thickness of the backing plates are enlarged from their normal thickness causing a top surface of the backing plates to axially clear heads of conventional rivets. The thickness of the friction buttons on the backing plates can then be reduced to their minimal effective use thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy Bernard Allmandinger, Brian William Franke, Mark Charles Barnholt, Stephen Thomas Hamm
  • Patent number: 9784352
    Abstract: A lock-up device for a torque converter is disposed between a front cover coupled to an engine-side member and a torque converter body and directly transmits a torque from the front cover to a turbine of the torque converter. The lock-up device includes a clutch portion to transmit the torque from the front cover to an output side. The lock-up device includes an intermediate member in a power transmission path between the clutch portion and the turbine. An input-side damper mechanism mounted between the clutch portion and the intermediate member attenuates variation in rotational speed. An output-side damper mechanism mounted between the intermediate member and the turbine generates a hysteresis torque larger than a hysteresis torque of the input-side damper mechanism and attenuates variation in rotational speed. The lock-up device also includes a dynamic damper device coupled to the intermediate member and that attenuates variation in rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: EXEDY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoki Tomiyama
  • Patent number: 9777779
    Abstract: A synchronizer for a transmission of a motor vehicle is provided. The synchronizer includes a sleeve and a blocker ring. The sleeve includes sleeve spline teeth and advanced sleeve spline teeth. The blocker ring includes blocker spline teeth. The sleeve spline teeth and blocker spline teeth are each asymmetrical and have a blunt tip, a first angled side, and a second angled side. The first and second angled sides have different angular relationships to a longitudinal axis of the teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: William L. Cousins, Kristopher Villegas, Todd W. Rooney