Patents Examined by Richard Lorence
  • Patent number: 5156248
    Abstract: A clutch thrust bearing includes a rolling bearing (1) equipped with an inner and an outer ring, one of the rings (6) being in permanent contact with a clutch member; and a guide sleeve (12) with a radial flange (13) relative to which the rolling bearing (1) can be displaced radially. The guide sleeve is axially slidable with respect to a guide tube under the action of a control member (17) having end fingers (18) for moving a metal support plate (15) integral with the radial flange (13) of the guide sleeve. The improvement includes contact shoes (19) which receive the end fingers (18) of the control member and are located between the fingers and the metal support plate of the radial flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1992
    Assignee: SKF France
    Inventor: Fabrice Caron
  • Patent number: 5156069
    Abstract: A transmission box with several bearings for shafts is disclosed. The transmission case (1) is produced by a plastic injection molded cast and comprises at least in part outer races (14) for the bearings (13), which are retained at a defined axial distance by a metallic precision insertion part (8) embedded into the plastic injection mold case (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1992
    Assignee: Mannesmann Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Harald Bitsch, Frank Kratzke
  • Patent number: 5156060
    Abstract: A shift lever control device is disclosed which comprises a pivot structure for permitting a shift lever to pivot in both first and second directions which are perpendicular to each other; a bracket which is pivotal together with the shift lever in the first direction and has a mounting portion; a cam plate rotatably mounted on the mounting portion and engaged with the shift lever so that when the shift lever pivots in the second direction, the cam plate is rotated on the mounting portion; a check structure for making the rotational movement of the cam plate in a snap action manner; a structure defining a cam surface on a periphery of the cam plate; and a single switch having a sensor pin which slidably contacts with the cam surface of the cam plate, so that the switch selectively assumes ON and OFF conditions in response to the rotational movement of the cam plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1992
    Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Ohi Seisakusho Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsunori Shirahama, Takumi Watanabe, Hiroshi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 5154676
    Abstract: A power driving device for a bicycle has a planetary gear assembly mounted with a driving axle shaft, including a housing fixed to the bicycle frame with a side wall rotatably mounting the driving axle shaft and a flange wall projecting laterally from the side wall which contains the planetary gear assembly and has a ring gear fixed thereto, a pinion gear carrier fixed to the driving axle shaft for rotation together therewith upon application of a driving force to the pedals, and a sun gear fixedly connected to a driving sprocket wheel for transmitting power from the pedals to the rear wheel of the bicycle. The planetary gear assembly can provide a power changing ratio in the range of about 3.5, so that the driving sprocket wheel can have a number of teeth substantially less than the number of teeth on a conventional sprocket wheel yet, when multiplied by the power changing ratio of the planetary gear assembly, is equivalent to more than double that of the conventional sprocket wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1992
    Assignees: Se Ung Kim, Byong Kook Lee
    Inventor: Se U. Kim
  • Patent number: 5154100
    Abstract: An automatic power transmission control system includes a solenoid valve which is associated with an electric or electronic controller to receive therefrom a control signal. The solenoid valve generates a hydraulic control pressure in response to the control signal. The solenoid valve supplies the control pressure to a shift valve for switching shift valve position between a higher gear position and a lower gear position. The solenoid valve is also hydraulically communicated with a hydraulic device which performs desired operations associated with gear position shifting operation. The solenoid valve supplies the control pressure to the hydraulic device for controlling operation of the latter corresponding to the selected gear position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1992
    Assignee: Japan Automatic Transmission Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiharu Yamada, Kenichi Sakamoto, Hiroki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 5152191
    Abstract: A belt drive continuously variable transmission of a four-wheel motor vehicle has a transmission ratio control valve which is operated in accordance with driven pulley speed. An analogous driven-pulley speed is calculated based on an analogous vehicle speed approximate to actual vehicle speed. In response to the analogous driven-pulley speed, the analogous driven pulley speed is used for operating the transmission ratio control valve instead of the driven pulley speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keiji Sato, Motohisa Miyawaki
  • Patent number: 5152190
    Abstract: In a toothed-wheel change gear, a gear pump for the conveyance of transmission oil is arranged in a separate gearbox chamber of a gearbox. Leakage oil flowing out at the gear pump is intermediately stored in the gearbox chamber in a controlled manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG
    Inventors: Gunter Jurgens, Jurgen Pickard, Walter Robmann
  • Patent number: 5151067
    Abstract: A fully automatic transmission system for a vehicle eliminates the use of hydraulic or electromagnetic valves to control speed change, and instead utilizes clutches to change shift and disconnect power transmission, to minimize power consumption during idle shift, and to prevent slipping of the vehicle during climb on an upgrade, respectively, when no power is transmitted to the vehicle wheels, and without the need to brake the vehicle. When the revolving speed of the vehicle engine is slower that that of the transmission shaft, idle rotation of the system's clutch lining connector is automatically prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1992
    Inventor: Chin-Fu Huong
  • Patent number: 5150637
    Abstract: A transfer shift apparatus for shifting a vehicle between two wheel drive and four wheel drive includes a shift mechanism including a reversible motor which is continuously driven to rotate in one direction of rotation according to a shift signal so as to shift the vehicle into a desired drive condition. A motor drive controller controls the motor to stop its rotation when detecting a predetermined load on the motor and not to rotate in another direction for a predetermined time period from a time the shift signal disappears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1992
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ninomiya, Satoshi Fujikawa
  • Patent number: 5150628
    Abstract: A gearbox for automotive vehicles includes two mutually concentrically journalled input shafts (6,9), each of which drives a respective lay-shaft (12,15). A gear wheel (17,19) disengageably mounted on each lay-shaft meshes with a common, disengageable gear wheel (22) on the output shaft (20) of the gearbox. When driving in first gear, the one lay-shaft (12) drives the other lay-shaft (15) via the disengaged or declutched common gear wheel (20) on the output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1992
    Assignee: AB Volvo
    Inventor: Sverker Alfredsson
  • Patent number: 5148721
    Abstract: An automatic speed control system for a vehicle includes a throttle control for controlling a throttle valve opening based on a deviation between a target speed and an actual speed of the vehicle so as to accomplish the target speed. A down-shift device for making a down-shift operation in an automatic transmission, a steady judging device for judging a steady condition of the actual speed after the down-shift operation, and an up-shift device for making an up-shift operation in the automatic transmission, when a reduction of the throttle valve opening more than a predetermined value is detected, after the actual speed is judged to be in the steady condition, are provided. A proper speed control can be provided when the vehicle runs uphill, regardless of the length and/or gradient of the uphill path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Anan, Satoru Ando, Takeshi Murai
  • Patent number: 5149308
    Abstract: A transmission comprising a change speed mechanism and a differential housed in a transmission case. The change speed mechanism includes drive gears mounted on a transmission shaft, and driven gears meshed with drive gears. The differential includes a differential case having elongated axle-bearing bosses extending to inside walls of the transmission case. The driven gears are mounted on one of the elongated bosses to be rotatable therewith. The differential case is supported by rear wheel axles extending through the transmission case and the elongated bosses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignee: Kubota, Ltd.
    Inventors: Norimi Nakamura, Tadao Adachi, Akio Matsui, Kouji Fujiwara, Mitsugu Kobayashi, Tetsuo Yamaguchi, Minoru Fukuda
  • Patent number: 5148904
    Abstract: A clutch cover assembly comprises an annular clutch cover, a pressure plate connected to the clutch cover, a diaphragm spring elastically disposed between the pressure plate and the clutch cover and supported circumferentially and radially to the clutch cover by a supporting member inserted into a hole formed therein and supported axially to the clutch cover through an annular member located between the inner wall of the clutch cover and the one end of the supporting member. The diaphragm spring is used for biasing the external portion of the pressure plate in the opposite direction to the clutch cover. A spring member includes an outer periphery which is located at an inward of the annular member and which is attached to the clutch cover and, an inner periphery which is located at a further inward of the outer periphery and which is attached to the diaphragm spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1992
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukihisa Takashi, Nobuki Fukaya
  • Patent number: 5147255
    Abstract: A spur gear transmission for a drive unit of an industrial truck having an integrated wet running disk brake. A first disk carrier is arranged on one of the spur gears. First braking disks are mounted on the disk carrier. A second disk carrier is fastened in the transmission housing, second braking disks being mounted on the second disk carrier, such that the first and the second braking disks are arranged alternately and cooperate. The spur gear having the first disk carrier is axially movable against the force of a spring by a pressure pin extending through the transmission housing and operable from outside, with the braking disks being pressed against one another between the spur gear and a bearing surface in the transmission housing. A two-arm lever is provided, one lever arm of which can be operated by the driver and the other lever arm of which lever rests on the pressure pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: Hurth Getriebe und Zahnraeder G.m.b.H.
    Inventors: Richard Strehler, Max Bartl
  • Patent number: 5147252
    Abstract: A differential unit has axially aligned helically toothed output gears of different diameters to provide an unequal division of the input torque, in meshing relationship with two sets of intermediate gears which mesh together and are rotatable on axes parallel to the output gear axis. The gears of one set of intermediate gears mesh with concentric internally and externally toothed output gears to provide alternative outputs at different torque division rates. Slip within the unit can be opposed by frictional coating on the gears and/or on the housing by which they are carried and/or by a damping fluid which may be an electro-rheological fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: Group Lotus P/C
    Inventors: Graham H. Mace, Andrew C. Thompson
  • Patent number: 5147254
    Abstract: A torque transmission unit is connectable to an internal combustion engine in order to drive a secondary unit with different transmission ratios in dependence upon the rotation rate of the internal combustion engine so that in the case of a low rotation rate of the internal combustion engine the transmission ratio is greater and in the case of a great rotation rate of the internal combustion engine the transmission ratio is less. The torque transmission unit comprises a planetary gear, a free-wheel and a clutch. By the clutch a part of the planetary gear can be coupled to or separated from another part of the planetary gear or a stationary support part, according to choice. The clutch is hydraulically actuable. The pressure for the hydraulic actuation of the clutch is delivered by a hydraulic pump which is integrated into the torgue transmission unit and is independent from the lubricant circuit of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Baier, Walter Kurz
  • Patent number: 5146812
    Abstract: Arrangement and method for operating a continuously variable drive unit of a motor vehicle with a controllable internal combustion engine and a hydrostatic-mechanical power split transmission and a control device which, near the gear-shift points S1 or S2 at an approximately constant rotational speed of the output shaft of the power split transmission, reduces the speed n.sub.mot of the internal combustion engine starting from n.sub.1 and accelerates the resetting motion PHI or the swash plate up to the shift point, resets the motion PHI of the swash plate by a calculated load-dependent value K during gear shifting, and, in the new gear range at a further decreasing speed of the internal combustion engine and accelerated resetting of the swash plate exits the area close to the shift point with almost constant rotational speed of the output shaft of the transmission and then, at a constant PHI angle of the swash plate, the rotational speed of the output shaft is increased to the previous level n.sub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Heinrich Nikolaus, Robert Paton
  • Patent number: 5144850
    Abstract: A continuously variable traction roller transmission comprises a loading nut having one end portion which abuts on a stopper formed by one end face of a ball spline, disc springs arranged between an input disc and the loading nut, and a preliminary pressure adjusting member arranged between the input disc and the disc springs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshifumi Hibi
  • Patent number: 5145044
    Abstract: The invention relates to a two-handle arrangement for a handheld portable tool having a drive motor and equipped with forward and rearward handles for two-handed operation. Each of these handles includes respective actuating elements which can be actuated only in a specific sequence. First, force must be applied to the actuating element on the forward handle and only when a corresponding actuation of the throttle lever takes place is there an increase in the speed of the drive motor. The invention is especially suited for handheld portable tools equipped with an internal combustion engine such as motor-driven chain saws, hedge trimmers and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: Andreas Stihl
    Inventors: Jochen Kramer, Hans-Peter Dohse
  • Patent number: 5144858
    Abstract: A device for limiting rotary movement in two directions comprising a housing (18) having a wall (17). A first stationary component (10) is attached to the wall (17) of the housing (18), the first stationary component having an arcuate segment (11) defined by lateral surfaces (11a, 11b) limiting the arc length thereof. A shaft (14) is rotatably mounted in the first component (10). A second component (20), also having an arcuate segment (21) defined by lateral surfaces (21a, 21b) limiting the arc length therof, is attached to the shaft. The first and second components (10, 20), respectively, have the same shapes and sizes and each of them is provided with a bearing (12, 22) which defines a bore (12a, 22a) and is molded on the arcuate segment (11, 21). Pins (11c, 21c) are positioned, respectively, to extend from oppositely directed faces of the arcuate segments (11, 21). The lateral surfaces ( 11a, 11b; 21a, 21b) of the first and second components (10,20) form abutments acting on both sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Helmut Funk