Patents Examined by Richard Lorence
  • Patent number: 8997963
    Abstract: A dry friction clutch is provided having an innovative baffle design wherein the baffle has a tab that sets the limit for maximum adjustment of an adjustment mechanism of the dry clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Troy Scott Reinoehl, Steven Michael Peterson, James Lee Whitaker, Clinton Lee McClellan, Steven Joe Rynearson, Jr., James Robert Hockemeyer, John Alan Schenkel, III
  • Patent number: 8997959
    Abstract: Clutch arrangement for a motor vehicle gearbox. The clutch arrangement has a housing and a clutch. The clutch is arranged in the housing and is arranged concentrically with a shaft, which extends in a longitudinal axis. The shaft is supported on the housing by means of a first shaft bearing adjacent to the clutch and by means of a second shaft bearing spaced at an axial distance from the clutch. The clutch arrangement has an actuator arrangement for actuating the clutch. The actuator arrangement is designed to exert an actuating force on the clutch in a first longitudinal direction. The actuator arrangement here being axially braced on the housing and a force flux being introduced into the shaft as a result of the actuating force. The first shaft bearing is arranged so that the force flux introduced into the shaft can be axially braced on the housing by way of the first shaft bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: GETRAG Getriebe—und Zahnradfabrik Hermann Hagenmeyer GmbH & Cie KG
    Inventors: Guenter Ruehle, Jochen Bausch, Harald Sodemann, Stefan Anspann
  • Patent number: 8997957
    Abstract: A coupling arrangement for a drive train of a motor vehicle includes at least one clutch which is arranged on a rotating shaft in order to couple the rotating shaft optionally with a drive element of the drive train, in which to couple the rotating shaft with the drive element, a first clutch part and a second clutch part can be brought into a form-fit engagement with each other by moving one of the clutch parts along the axis of the rotating shaft. To prevent jerks and vibrations in the drive train, a hydraulic damping device is provided which acts between the first clutch part and the second clutch part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: MAGNA Powertrain AG
    Inventors: Klaus Eder, Markus Kohlböck, Johannes Quehenberger, Reinhard Weingartshofer
  • Patent number: 8985293
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention is directed to a decoupler assembly for between an endless drive element and a shaft. The endless drive element may be, for example, an accessory drive belt from a vehicular engine. The shaft may be, for example, the input shaft of a belt-driven accessory, such as an alternator or a compressor. The decoupler assembly includes a hub that mounts to the shaft, a pulley that is rotatable with respect to the hub, a dampening spring and a clutch member. A part of the pulley is supported on a pulley support surface on the hub. There is a gap between the pulley and the pulley support surface. The gap has lubricant therein to facilitate sliding between the pulley and the pulley support surface. By eliminating the use of a polymeric bushing between pulley and the hub, there are several advantages that are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Litens Automotive Partnership
    Inventors: Patrick Marion, Lucas Wilson
  • Patent number: 8985294
    Abstract: In a hydraulic control arrangement for an automatic transmission of a motor vehicle having a parking lock activation system wherein operating fluid is supplied via a parking lock slide valve to a first parking lock pressure chamber for moving a parking lock-up piston in one direction into a locking position or moving the parking lock piston in an opposite direction, whereby operating fluid is released from the first parking lock pressure chamber via a discharge slide valve by way of which the first parking brake pressure chamber is connected to a tank for releasing the parking lock-up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Joerg Schindler, Michael Baraga, Markus Brandenburg, Henrik Kalczynski, Thomas Kull
  • Patent number: 8978862
    Abstract: A park-brake actuator includes a cam including first serrations and an open-ended slot, a piston including second serrations displaceable relative to the cam in response to variable pressure applied to the piston, a spring, and a rod including a pin urged by the spring toward the slot and contact with the first and second serrations, the pin moved by piston displacement from the slot, onto one of the first serrations to a flat-tow position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Bradley R. Heuver
  • Patent number: 8978863
    Abstract: A silent ratchet including at least one clamping element (16) and an outer ring (12) and an inner ring (14) arranged coaxially in the outer ring, the inner and outer rings together forming a raceway (18) and a clamping contour (20?) for the clamping element (16), wherein the outer ring (12) and the inner ring (14) are each formed by a plurality of lamella (12a-12d; 14a-14c) stacked one over the other and rigidly held together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Rollax GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Milto Benjamin, Michael Kuhlmann
  • Patent number: 8973728
    Abstract: A torque limiting apparatus is provided having an input shaft, an output shaft, a housing, a spring, and a length adjustable shank and collar assembly. The input shaft communicates with a rotating end segment having a cam surface. The output shaft communicates with a rotating end segment having a complementary cam surface for engaging with the cam surface of the input shaft. The cam surfaces cooperate to generate separation forces between the respective rotating end segments. The spring is configured to oppose the separation forces generated by the cam surfaces, and is configured to urge together the first end segment and the second end segment to remain in rotating coupled engagement. The length adjustable shank and collar assembly is provided between the spring and the housing and is configured to adjust compressive force on the spring to change torque output of the apparatus. A method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Inventor: George T. York
  • Patent number: 8967354
    Abstract: In a clutch cover assembly, accurate abrasion compensation is constantly enabled by stabilizing the actuation of an abrasion amount detecting mechanism. The present clutch cover assembly includes a clutch cover fixed to a flywheel, a pressure plate, a diaphragm spring, an abrasion amount detecting mechanism and an abrasion tracking mechanism. The abrasion amount detecting mechanism is a mechanism having a plurality of meshing positions and includes a mobile detecting member configured to release meshing in a first meshing position and move to a second meshing position when the abrasion amount of a friction member reaches a predetermined amount. The abrasion tracking mechanism moves the diaphragm spring to an initial posture side thereof in accordance with the displacement of the mobile detecting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: EXEDY Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Wakabayashi, Norihiko Tanigawa, Nobuhiko Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8960394
    Abstract: A torque converter, including: a cover; a pump fixedly secured to the cover; an axially displaceable turbine hydraulically coupled to the pump; and an axially displaceable stator at least partially disposed between the pump and the turbine and including a friction clutch with a plurality of clutch plates and respective friction material disposed between the plurality of clutch plates. When the ratio of the rotational speed of the turbine with respect to the rotational speed of the pump is less than a coupling point value, the turbine or the stator is arranged to axially displace to close the friction clutch. When the ratio of the rotational speed of the turbine with respect to the rotational speed of the pump is at least equal to the coupling point value: the stator or the turbine is arranged to axially displace to open the friction clutch; or the stator is arranged to axially displace to close the friction clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: John Carrier
  • Patent number: 8960400
    Abstract: A clutch operating device includes a drive mechanism and a reduction mechanism. The drive mechanism generates a driving force. The reduction mechanism is a mechanism configured to amplify the driving force by reducing the driving amount to be inputted thereto from the reduction mechanism and convert the amplified driving force into an operating force of a clutch device. The reduction mechanism has a reduction ratio characteristic gradually increasing from a power blocking state to a power transmitting state of the clutch device and is allowed to adjust the reduction ratio characteristic in accordance with a state of the clutch device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: EXEDY Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Eguchi, Hiroaki Kato
  • Patent number: 8950564
    Abstract: Controls for a transmission brake include a switch that employs resistance to motion of an axially movable plunger in order to provide tactile feedback to the operator as to the current position of the plunger, thus reflecting a particular state of the switch. In a fully depressed position of the plunger, the transmission brake is on. Shortly before this position is reached, resistance is encountered at an intermediate position at which the transmission brake is already engaged, thereby giving the user of the option of depressing the plunger further in order to provide a longer travel time of plunger back to its normal spring-biased position in which the brake is disengaged. Some embodiments activate other brake control components at partially depressed plunger positions preceding the intermediate position, whereby controlled creeping of the vehicle can be accomplished before the transmission brake is returned to a continuously engaged state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Inventor: Ernest Peter Penner
  • Patent number: 8944228
    Abstract: A hydraulic clutch control device of a vehicle power unit in which the oil pressure control valve is prevented from being exposed above the oil level even when a vehicle body inclines frontward or rearward. A housing chamber housing an actuator is formed in a housing chamber forming body attached to an engine main body and an oil pressure control valve partially facing the housing chamber is supported by the housing chamber forming body. An oil return hole used to return excess hydraulic oil from the housing chamber into the engine main body is provided in the housing chamber forming body to communicate with an upper portion of the housing chamber at an end portion of the housing chamber on a side close to the oil pressure control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Fukaya, Masahiko Tsuchiya, Masazumi Naito, Toshimasa Mitsubori
  • Patent number: 8931610
    Abstract: An isolator decoupler comprising a pulley, a shaft, the pulley journalled to the shaft on a low friction bushing, a spring carrier, the pulley journalled to the spring carrier on a low friction bushing, the spring carrier journalled to the shaft on a low friction bushing, a torsion spring coupled between the pulley and the spring carrier, a one way clutch spring frictionally engaged with the shaft, the one way clutch spring coupled to the spring carrier, the one way clutch spring is disposed radially inward of the torsion spring, and the pulley temporarily engagable with an end of the one way clutch spring whereby the frictional engagement of the one way clutch spring with the shaft is temporarily diminished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: The Gates Corporation
    Inventor: Alexander Serkh
  • Patent number: 8931611
    Abstract: An assembly of transmission components includes a first shaft including first and second surfaces, and axial cutting-spline teeth on the second surface, a second shaft connected by a press fit to first shaft, and a clutch hub connected by a press fit to the second shaft and engaged with the cutting-spline teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gregory D. Goleski, Steven G. Thomas, Jeffrey E. Maurer
  • Patent number: 5244068
    Abstract: A device for limiting the number of revolutions of a shaft for a rotary drive for a sliding-lifting roof of an automobile is proposed. By the cooperation of a detent bolt, actuated by an actuating knob with a spring-loaded blocking pin and with a rotationally driven blocking ring, the shaft is blocked in rotation not only in the lid closure position, but also by a special construction of the blocking ring, in intermediate sliding and/or lifting positions of the sliding lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1993
    Assignee: Rockwell - Golde GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Hattass, Karl Schmidhuber, Brigitte Weidmann
  • Patent number: 5213013
    Abstract: A hydraulic pressure control system for an automatic transmission includes a multiple transmission gear mechanism having a plurality of gear stages and frictional elements for switching power transmitting paths in the transmission gear mechanism, a hydraulic control mechanism for controlling engagement and disengagement of the frictional elements to establish one of said gear stages, and a line pressure control device for controlling line pressure of the hydraulic control mechanism. A speed detecting device for detects a speed of an input element of the transmission gear mechanism during shift operation of the shift gear stage in the transmission gear mechanism, and a compensation device compensates the line pressure in accordance with signal from the speed detecting device. The line pressure is compensated by a learning control to reduce a torque shock due to the shift operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1993
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Takuji Fujiwara, Kozo Ishii, Kazuo Takemoto, Hiroshi Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 5211610
    Abstract: Reduction-distribution unit for gearshift units, particularly for industrial machines, including a first hydrostatic motor and a second hydrostatic motor which are operatively associated for the transmission of the motion to the axles. The unit also comprises an epicyclic train which adds the power of the hydrostatic motors, the first motor being associated with the shaft of the sun gear and the second motor being associated with the shaft of the crown gear of the epicyclic train. A first brake and a second brake are respectively associated to the shaft of the sun gear and to the shaft of the crown gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: Hurth Axle S.p.A.
    Inventor: Fritz C. A. Hurth
  • Patent number: 5209332
    Abstract: When a drive range of a transmission is selected from a neutral range at a high engine racing speed, a racing start signal is produced. In response to the racing start signal, the electromagnetic clutch is engaged at a higher engaging rate than an ordinary engaging speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Maki Okayasu
  • Patent number: 5203229
    Abstract: A quick-release clipless pedal includes a cleat to be secured to a shoe sole and a pedal body to be mounted on a pedal shaft and releasably retaining the cleat. The cleat has first and second engaging parts respectively formed on front and rear ends thereof. The pedal body includes a frame portion and a tubular portion which partitions the frame portion in a transverse direction. The tubular portion receives one end of the pedal shaft. The frame portion has front and rear ends respectively formed with an opening. The pedal body further includes a pair of cleat engaging members respectively provided on upper and lower sides of the tubular portion and respectively having a claw portion to receive releasably the first engaging part of the cleat, and a pair of retaining units revertably engaging the second engaging part of the cleat. The cleat is rotatable relative to the pedal body so as to disengage the first engaging part from the claw portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Inventor: Chung-I Chen