Patents Examined by Richard M. Lorence
  • Patent number: 11655861
    Abstract: Friction clutch pressure plate device 11 which is provided between spring device 12 and clutch disc unit 4 of friction clutch 1 comprises primary pressure plate 19, secondary pressure plate 22 which is capable of approaching and receding from primary pressure plate 19, and a plurality of weight plates 23 which are slidably arranged between mutually opposed side faces 19a, 22a of primary pressure plate 19 and secondary pressure plate 22. Primary pressure plate 19 comprises first outer circumferential wall 25 having inclined inner wall face 24, secondary pressure plate 22 comprises second outer circumferential wall 28 having perpendicular inner wall face 27, and weight plate 23 comprises tip portion engaging surface that engages with perpendicular inner wall face 27 and a tip portion inclined surface 32 that engages with inclined inner wall face 24.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: T.P.P. Co.
    Inventor: Takeshi Shigematsu
  • Patent number: 11649868
    Abstract: A transmission unit for a motor vehicle transmission includes a drive gear (6) which is arranged rotatably on an intermediate shaft (5) and which can be fixed to the intermediate shaft (5) for the transmission of drive power via clutch means. On one side flank (9) of the drive gear, a first gear portion (10) is provided which can be connected to a corresponding shaft-side second gear portion (11) via an internally toothed sliding sleeve (12). On the opposite side flank (13) of the drive gear, a parking lock gear portion (14) is provided for engaging a pawl (15) to block the transmission unit when the vehicle is at a standstill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Erik Orel, Luboslav Slezák
  • Patent number: 11629768
    Abstract: The reverse input cutoff clutch includes: a pressed member having a pressed surface around the inner peripheral surface; an input member coaxially arranged with the pressed surface and having an input-side engaging portion arranged on the radially inner side of the pressed surface; an output member coaxially arranged with the pressed surface and having an output-side engaging portion arranged further on the radially inner side than the input-side engaging portion; and an engaging element arranged so as to be movable in a first direction as a direction toward or away from the pressed surface on the radially inner side of the pressed surface. The engaging element has a main engaging element body having a pressing surface and a pivot-support shaft, and a link member. The link member has a first end portion pivotally linked to the pivot-support shaft, and a second end portion pivotally linked to the input-side engaging portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Nagao Dohi, Yuya Daikoku, Tomoyuki Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 11624409
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an electromagnetic pulse disconnect assembly. In one example, an electromagnetic disconnect assembly includes an electromagnetic coil assembly including an electromagnetic coil, an armature cam including an annular ring and a plurality of bidirectional cam ramps extending in an axial direction from the annular ring, where the annular ring is adapted to have face-sharing contact with the electromagnetic coil assembly when the electromagnetic coil is energized and be spaced apart from the electromagnetic coil assembly when the electromagnetic coil is de-energized, and a cam follower a plurality of radially extending guides arranged around a circumference of the cam follower and spaced apart from one another via a plurality of elongate apertures, each of the plurality of elongate apertures adapted to receive one of the plurality of bidirectional ramps of the armature cam. The assembly may further include a latching system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Warn Automotive, LLC
    Inventors: Bryan Yoder, Evan Placek, Adam Reiner, Christopher James Boudreau, Adrian Simula, Blake Randall
  • Patent number: 11624410
    Abstract: A viscous clutch head may be replaced by selecting a viscous clutch head and a mount adapter. The viscous clutch head and the mount adapter may be selected from a group of universal modular fan drives and from a group of mount adapters. The mount adapter of a threaded type or a flange and bolt type may be selected. Depending on the viscous clutch head to be replaced, a fan adapter and/or a pilot adapter may also be selected from a group of fan adapters and from a group of pilot adapters. Accordingly, a range of models of viscous fan clutch systems may be replaced by using a limited number of parts. These parts may be stored on a tool cart. As different models of viscous fan clutch systems may be replaced using a limited number of parts, the in-stock inventory of replacement parts may be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Kit Masters Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Swanson, Dale Scherman
  • Patent number: 11618350
    Abstract: A lifter device includes a pinion gear and a rotation control device that is configured to control rotation of the pinion gear. The rotation control device includes a rotation shaft, a support member, a rotation driving mechanism, and a lock mechanism. The rotation drive mechanism includes a feed gear, and a plurality of feed pawls. The lock mechanism is configured to release locking of the rotation shaft until any one of the feed pawls meshes with the feed gear when an operation handle is operated. A plurality of the feed pawls are provided with respect to either operation direction on a seat lifting side or lowering side of the operation handle, and one of the feed pawls meshes with the feed gear when at least one of the others of the feed pawls does not mesh with the gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuaki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11619273
    Abstract: Disclosed is a viscous coupling that has a housing that carries ribs that are arranged concentrically about a central axis. A rotor is provided that can rotate relative to the housing about the central axis in a predetermined direction. The rotor also carries ribs, and the ribs of the housing and the rotor are arranged in a working chamber surrounded by the housing. Also provided is a fluid reservoir. A fluid discharge line leads from the working chamber to the fluid reservoir. A wiper is moveably arranged between the housing and the rotor and scrapes fluid from the rotor and feeds it to the fluid discharge line. A stop is provided for the wiper and is arranged next to the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Tobias Moser, Frank Gerber
  • Patent number: 11614167
    Abstract: A parking lock has a parking lock housing (20), a locking pawl (12) which has a ratchet (16) that can be locked in a parking lock wheel (56) and a pawl profile (44) arranged on the rear side of the ratchet (16), an actuating unit (24) which acts upon the pawl profile (44) when the parking lock (10) is engaged and thereby rotates the locking pawl (12) about a rotational axis (14) relative to the parking lock housing (20), and a supporting element (18), on which the actuating unit (24) is supported in the engaged state (P) and in the disengaged state (nP) of the parking lock (10) at different positions. The supporting element (18) is connected to the parking lock housing (20) so as to have play.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Klaus Kraemer, Matthias Feuerbach, Markus Rost, Tobias Heumann, Christoph Thuerauf
  • Patent number: 11592068
    Abstract: The disclosure describes a clutch assembly that includes a first clutch element coupled to an input shaft and including a first clutch element friction surface; a second clutch element coupled to an output shaft, and a brake clutch coupled to a stationary component. The second clutch element includes a first friction surface configured to engage the first clutch element friction surface and a second friction surface opposite the first friction surface. The second clutch element is configured to move relative to the first clutch element to engage and disengage the first friction surface and the first clutch element friction surface. The brake clutch includes a brake clutch friction surface configured to engage the second friction surface of the second clutch element when the first clutch element and the second clutch element are disengaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: Kevin Sauer
  • Patent number: 11585406
    Abstract: A damper device includes rotating elements including an input element and an output element, first elastic bodies that each transmit torque between the input element and the output element, a plurality of second elastic bodies that act in parallel with the plurality of first elastic bodies when torque transmitted between the input element and the output element is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, and a rotary inertia mass damper. The rotary inertia mass damper includes a sun gear, a carrier that rotatably supports a plurality of pinion gears, and a ring gear that meshes with the plurality of pinion gears and that serves as a mass body. The plurality of second elastic bodies are located at a different position than the plurality of first elastic bodies in a radial direction of the rotating elements and are circumferentially aligned with the plurality of pinion gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takuya Yoshikawa, Tomonori Kinoshita, Tetsuro Taniguchi, Akiyoshi Kato, Yoichi Oi
  • Patent number: 11578779
    Abstract: Intermediate plate apparatus and related damper assemblies for use with vehicles are disclosed. A disclosed vehicle torque converter includes a clutch and a torsional vibration damper configured to receive a torque from the clutch when the clutch is engaged and dampen a torsional vibration in the torque. The torsional vibration damper includes a driven plate, a retainer plate, a first spring member, a second spring member, and an intermediate plate positioned radially outward relative to the driven plate and the retainer plate. The intermediate plate includes a body that defines an annular cavity though which the first and second spring members extend. The body is configured to engage inner and outer radial portions of the respective first and second spring members to maintain bend radii of the respective first and second spring members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: VALEO KAPEC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Antoine Cantenot, Sungchul Lee
  • Patent number: 11566707
    Abstract: Provided are a vehicle parking device and a vehicle transmission. The vehicle parking device includes an actuator configured to rotate a worm gear mounted at an end thereof, a loading unit including a rack gear engaged with the worm gear and linearly moving according to a movement of the rack gear, a parking sprag in contact with the loading unit and rotating by a linear movement of the loading unit, and a parking gear provided in a drive shaft that transmits a driving force and selectively engaged according to a rotation of the parking sprag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: NEOOTO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seung Hyun Jo, Sun Hyun Kim
  • Patent number: 11535208
    Abstract: A hydraulic transaxle facilitates mounting a parking brake unit which requires no link mechanism and is compact. The parking brake unit includes a brake rotor provided on a rotation shaft and a locking member being displaceable between a first position where the brake rotor is locked and a second position where the brake rotor is unlocked. The locking member includes a locking portion which is engaged in a recess formed in the brake rotor that locks the brake rotor in the first position, and a non-locking portion which is placed at a position corresponding to the recess and which separates from the brake rotor in the second position. The hydraulic transaxle further includes an oil-supply mechanism capable of displacing the locking member to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Matsuura, Koji Iwaki, Toshifumi Yasuda
  • Patent number: 11519466
    Abstract: An armature is configured to come into contact with an actuator due to magnetic attraction force. An outer plate is fixed to an armature, the outer plate being located on an opposite side of the armature from the actuator, the outer plate being configured to rotate together with the armature. An inner hub is located between the armature and the outer plate to be movable in a direction along a rotation axis, the inner hub being fixed to a driven device. A rubber member is disposed between the inner hub and the outer plate to give an urging force to the inner hub and the outer plate in a direction away from each other. This electromagnetic clutch is configured such that the urging force of the rubber member non-linearly increases as the actuator and the armature approach each other due to the magnetic attraction force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeyoshi Sakuraba, Toshihiro Hayashi, Kiyoshi Kurohata, Toshihiro Konishi, Kazuma Tachibana
  • Patent number: 11512744
    Abstract: An excessive torque releasing type clutch apparatus comprises an outer ring, an inner ring arranged radially inside and coaxially with the outer ring and rotatably relative to the outer ring, a torque transmitting portion capable of transmitting torque between the outer ring and the inner ring, and a restricting mechanism for restricting excessive torque from being input from an input torque transmitting member to a driving ring of the outer ring and the inner ring and restricting excessive inverse torque that is input to a driven ring of the outer ring and the inner ring from being input to the input torque transmitting member. Treatment steps for securing strength of constituent members of the clutch apparatus in manufacturing be simplified or omitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: NSK-WARNER K.K.
    Inventors: Shinji Okada, Akira Iwano, Osamu Katayama, Yukiyoshi Suzuki, Ryo Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 11512745
    Abstract: A self-adjusting clutch actuator includes a transmission element displaceable in a displacement direction; and a compensation mechanism having a piston displaceable in the displacement direction of the transmission element. The compensation mechanism allows a first relative displacement (X) of the transmission element relative to the piston in the displacement direction when there is no actuating force in the clutch actuator, and blocks the first relative displacement (X) when an actuating force is introduced into the clutch actuator by bringing a frictional element (4) into contact with a counter-element. The frictional element (4) is designed for a second relative displacement (Y) relative to the counter-element when the first relative displacement (X) is not blocked by the compensation mechanism (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: KNORR-BREMSE Systeme fuer Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH
    Inventor: Sebastian Schaller
  • Patent number: 11505055
    Abstract: An engine damper includes a drive disc having a plurality of studs circumferentially arranged to be received in a flex plate and a driven disc connected to the drive disc by a resilient member. The driven disc defines a plurality of circumferentially arranged first holes arranged in a first pattern. A hub is configured to non-rotatably connect to a shaft. The hub defines a plurality of second holes circumferentially arranged in a second pattern that corresponds to the first pattern. Connectors are disposed in the first and second holes to connect the hub to the driven disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventor: Matthew A. Payne
  • Patent number: 11506247
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for an electromagnetic pulse disconnect assembly. In one example, an electromagnetic disconnect assembly includes an electromagnetic coil assembly including an electromagnetic coil, an armature cam including an annular ring and a plurality of bidirectional cam ramps extending in an axial direction from the annular ring, where the annular ring is adapted to have face-sharing contact with the electromagnetic coil assembly when the electromagnetic coil is energized and be spaced apart from the electromagnetic coil assembly when the electromagnetic coil is de-energized, and a cam follower a plurality of radially extending guides arranged around a circumference of the cam follower and spaced apart from one another via a plurality of elongate apertures, each of the plurality of elongate apertures adapted to receive one of the plurality of bidirectional ramps of the armature cam. The assembly may further include a latching system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Warn Automotive, LLC
    Inventors: Bryan Yoder, Evan Placek, Adam Reiner, Christopher James Boudreau, Adrian Simula, Blake Randall
  • Patent number: 11480227
    Abstract: A backdrive braking element is provided for preventing backdrive of a shaft. It includes a poly-lobed locking mechanism including an unlock shaft that has a polygon shaped inside profile and is coupled to a poly lock drive and brake assembly. The poly lock drive and brake assembly includes a plurality of poly lock drive and brake segments and is contained within the interior cavity of a housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: WEDGEROCK LLC
    Inventors: Thomas C. West, Emmanuel H. Marsh-Sachs
  • Patent number: 11454296
    Abstract: A damper device includes: a first rotary body including a first plate rotating around a rotation shaft and a second plate disposed facing the first plate and integrally rotating with the first plate; a second rotary body rotating relative to the first rotary body; a control plate disposed between the first plate and the second rotary body in an axial direction and engaged with the second rotary body to rotate integrally therewith; a first thrust member a part of which is disposed between the first plate and the control plate in the axial direction and engaged with the first plate to rotate integrally therewith; and a second thrust member a part of which is disposed between the second plate and the second rotary body and engaged with the second plate to rotate integrally with the first rotary body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Saeki, Yasuhisa Iwasaki