Patents Examined by Roger L Pang
-
Patent number: 11370443Abstract: The invention relates to a method (100) for controlling a powertrain system (10) of a vehicle (1) during gear upshifting, said powertrain system comprising: an internal combustion engine system (11) comprising an internal combustion engine (12) configured to output a rotational speed (W1) via an engine output shaft (8); a transmission arrangement (14) having a number of gear stages to obtain a set of gears, the transmission arrangement being operatively connected to the internal combustion engine via a transmission input shaft (64) and further having a transmission output shaft (24) for providing a rotational speed to one or more drive wheels (26) of the vehicle; the method comprising the steps of: operating (110) the engine in a four-stroke operation to provide engine rotational speed output via the engine output shaft; receiving (120) an indication of an intended upshifting from a gear of the set of gears to a higher gear of the sets of gears; reducing (130) the rotational speed of the engine output shaft bType: GrantFiled: February 26, 2018Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATIONInventor: Arne Andersson
-
Patent number: 11370409Abstract: A method of controlling engine on of a hybrid vehicle, may include determining, by a controller, a shift pattern of the vehicle between multiple regions; deriving, by the controller, a shifting possibility of the vehicle from each of the regions; and deriving an engine-on strategy of the vehicle on the basis of the derived shifting possibility, and controlling an engine of the vehicle to be on or off in accordance with the derived engine-on strategy.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2019Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventor: Jee Wook Huh
-
Patent number: 11371602Abstract: An all-wheel-drive vehicle includes a primary drive axle, a secondary drive axle, and an all-wheel-drive powertrain configured to selectively power the primary and secondary axles. The powertrain includes a powerplant and a clutch that couples the powerplant to the secondary axle when engaged and that decouples the powerplant from the secondary axle when disengaged. A controller is programmed to disengage the clutch to disable all-wheel drive and propel the vehicle solely with the primary drive axle based on repeated occurrence of power output of the powertrain being less than a value.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2021Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventor: Richard David Bruns
-
Patent number: 11358589Abstract: Non-inverted park lock systems and methods include an engine controller configured to control an engine of a vehicle in communication with a separate transmission controller via a controller area network (CAN), wherein the transmission controller is configured to control a transmission of the vehicle; and a conductor connecting the engine controller to a park lock solenoid disposed in the transmission and configured to move a park pawl to engage/disengage park. The engine controller keeps the park pawl disengaged from park during a power loss malfunction at the transmission controller and the transmission controller keeps the park pawl disengaged from park during a power loss malfunction at the engine controller by maintaining hydraulic pressure in the transmission at a threshold level until park is requested via the shifter.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2021Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: FCA US LLCInventors: Abhilash Gudapati, Jayant Chalke, Ankur Jaiswal
-
Patent number: 11351984Abstract: A method for operating a vehicle that includes an internal combustion engine that may be automatically stopped and started is described. In one example, selection of an engine starting device is based on a value of an engine starting torque reserve. The engine starting torque reserve may be dynamically adjusted so that life spans of engine starting devices may meet expectations.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2020Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventors: Jason Meyer, Jeffrey A. Doering, Kevin R. Ruybal
-
Patent number: 11345351Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for adaptive power take-off (PTO) droop control for a self-propelled work vehicle having an engine and a PTO device directly mechanically coupled to the engine. The systems and methods enable user selection of at least one of a target ground speed or a target power take off (PTO) speed. The systems and methods are responsive to at least one of the selected target ground speed or the selected target PTO speed to identify a maximum transmission ground drive efficiency corresponding to an effective droop value within a defined droop range. The systems and methods control an actual engine speed and an actual transmission ratio to respective adjusted target values corresponding with the maximum transmission ground drive efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2020Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventor: Andy B. Appleton
-
Patent number: 11338672Abstract: An axle assembly having an electric motor module, a drive pinion, and at least one rotor bearing assembly. The electric motor module may have a rotor. The rotor and the drive pinion may be rotatable about a first axis. The first rotor bearing assembly may extend between the drive pinion and the rotor.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2021Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLCInventor: Tomaz Varela
-
Patent number: 11325577Abstract: An on-board controller executes a torque reduction process that reduces torque generated by an electric motor when a brake pedal of a vehicle is depressed and the vehicle is stopped during motor creep driving. When a start request for an internal combustion engine is issued, the on-board controller executes an engine start process that sets a clutch mechanism to an engagement state, which engages an output shaft of the internal combustion engine with an output shaft of the electric motor, and drives the electric motor to perform cranking. When a state in which the clutch mechanism is maintained immediately before the engagement state is defined as an engagement preparation state, the on-board controller executes a preparation process that applies hydraulic pressure to the clutch mechanism during execution of the torque reduction process so that the clutch mechanism is set to the engagement preparation state.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2020Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masayuki Baba, Takashi Moriya
-
Patent number: 11318840Abstract: A vehicle travel control method and a vehicle travel control device carries out a downshift control of an automatic transmission when a vehicle speed increases from a set vehicle speed during a constant speed travel control by at least a first prescribed value. Subsequent downshift control of the automatic transmission is prohibited upon determining the vehicle speed has increased from the set vehicle speed by at least the first prescribed value due to an operation of an operating element by the driver during constant speed travel control. Downshift control of the automatic transmission is executed upon determining insufficient deceleration of the vehicle exists where the driver is not operating the accelerator pedal during prohibition of the downshift control.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2021Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Sergio Rossi, Takao Ando
-
Patent number: 11312235Abstract: A drive switching mechanism of a utility vehicle includes: a two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive switching device that switches between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive of the utility vehicle; and a control unit that controls the drive switching mechanism. The two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive switching device switches between two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive by using a first clutch. The control unit permits the two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive switching device to switch from two-wheel drive to four-wheel drive when a rotation difference of the first clutch becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined value.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2020Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: KAWASAKI MOTORS, LTD.Inventors: Seiji Itoo, Ayumi Hamada, Manabu Hidaka, Masahiko Nakagawa
-
Patent number: 11306818Abstract: A continuously variable transmission capable of operating in a forward direction or reverse direction may be controlled in the reverse direction by providing an initial skew angle in a first skew direction, followed by a set or sequence of skew angle adjustments in an opposite direction to prevent runaway or other unintended consequences. A continuously variable transmission may include a timing plate to maintain all planets at an angle or within a range of an angle in forward and reverse operations.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2021Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: Fallbrook Intellectual Property Company LLCInventors: Fernand A. Thomassy, Charles B. Lohr, Brad P. Pohl, David Brian Jackson
-
Patent number: 11299159Abstract: A method of and an apparatus of controlling a creep torque to be exerted on a vehicle, may include facilitating a control unit to determine from a vehicle speed signal whether or not a vehicle comes to a stop, facilitating the control unit to determine from a slope angle signal a state of a road in accordance with a slope angle of the road; facilitating the control unit to determine a gear-shift step state, facilitating the control unit to decide a creep torque command on the basis of a result of the determination, the gear-shift step state, and information on the state of the road in accordance with the slope angle, and facilitating the control unit to output the decided creep torque command to perform creep torque control that generates a creep torque corresponding to the creep torque command from a motor.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2020Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventors: Gwang Il Du, Hoon Han, Chun Hyuk Lee, Jee Wook Huh
-
Patent number: 11292475Abstract: A control system for reducing drive shaft vibration of an environment-friendly vehicle includes: a drive shaft speed extraction unit that extracts an actual drive shaft speed of a motor and extracts a drive shaft speed from which a forced vibration component that is to be transferred by an engine to the drive shaft is removed; a model speed computation unit that calculates a model speed of the drive shaft; a free vibration computation unit that computes a free vibration component on the basis of deviation between the drive shaft speed and the calculated model speed; and a first torque computation unit that calculates, from the free vibration component, a free vibration reduction compensation torque for reducing the drive shaft vibration.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2020Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATIONInventors: Young Kwan Ko, Jun Mo An, Byung Hoon Yang, Hyung Souk Kang
-
Patent number: 11292472Abstract: A method of operating a motor vehicle drive-train having a drive aggregate, a group transmission and a drive output. The aggregate can couple an input shaft of the transmission which includes main, splitter and range groups. To carry out a shift, a target gear and target rotational speed of the aggregate are calculated for the shift to be carried out. After the initiation of the shift a load reduction is first carried out, then a group of the transmission is disengaged in order to shift the transmission to neutral, after which a group of the transmission is synchronized and to shift out of neutral, the synchronized group is engaged, and then the load is again built up. Initiation of the shift, after calculating the target gear and the target rotational speed, occurs at a point in time when complete performance of a shift is not yet possible.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2019Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Mario Steinborn, Andreas Heinzler
-
Patent number: 11285951Abstract: A vehicle brake control apparatus includes a vibration detector configured to detect a predetermined vibration state in a frictional brake device, a power regeneration execution determination unit configured to determine, in a case where the predetermined vibration state is detected by the vibration detector, whether to permit execution of power regeneration by a power generating device or to limit the execution, a pressing force controller configured to change, in a case where the execution of the power regeneration is limited by the power regeneration execution determination unit, a pressing force of a friction material in the frictional brake device, and a driving force cooperative controller configured to adjust a driving force of a vehicle to suppress fluctuation in forward acceleration or backward acceleration of the vehicle associated with a change in the pressing force by the pressing force controller.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2020Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATIONInventors: Harunobu Horiguchi, Yuta Ishizuka, Makoto Nakauchi, Ryoichi Mizutani, Masaki Sunagawa
-
Patent number: 11279342Abstract: A vehicle driving apparatus for a vehicle with wheels includes an engine, a transmission mechanism, an input shaft, a power generation motor, and a motor clutch. The transmission mechanism is disposed between the engine and the wheels. The input shaft is disposed between the engine and the transmission mechanism and coupled to a crank shaft of the engine via a damper mechanism. The power generation motor is disposed between the engine and the transmission mechanism and includes a hollow rotor through which the input shaft extends. The motor clutch is switched between an engaged state and a released state. When being the engaged state, the motor clutch couples the input shaft and the hollow rotor. When being in the released state, the motor clutch releases coupling between the input shaft and the hollow rotor.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2020Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATIONInventor: Takahiro Kawashiri
-
Patent number: 11279366Abstract: Systems and methods of controlling operation of a diesel engine using feedforward load anticipation. An electronic controller determines a difference between an actual engine speed value of the diesel engine and a desired engine speed value, and generates a feedback control command based on the determined difference. In response to detecting one or more conditions indicative of an anticipated mechanical load event that will alter a total mechanical load of the diesel engine, the electronic controller applies a feedforward offset to the feedback control command in accordance with a feedback offset function. The feedback offset function causes the magnitude of the feedback offset to decrease over a period of time until the offset returns to zero (i.e., a signal decay function). The diesel engine is then operated based on the feedback control command and the feedforward offset.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2020Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: DEERE & COMPANYInventors: Andrew Shroll, Omkar Dumbre, Taner Tuken
-
Patent number: 11273706Abstract: A drive device includes a first clutch mechanism that couples or decouples power transmission systems for front and rear wheels, a first electric motor disposed on a front or rear wheel side and coupled to the first clutch mechanism, a second electric motor disposed on the other of the front and rear wheel sides and coupled to the first clutch mechanism, a second clutch mechanism that couples or decouples the first electric motor and front drive shafts, a planetary gear mechanism that distributes output of the first electric motor to the first and second clutch mechanisms, and a third clutch mechanism that limits a difference between a first rotational element that transmits the output of the first electric motor to the first clutch mechanism and a second rotational element that transmits the output of the first electric motor to the second clutch mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2020Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATIONInventors: Takahito Inoh, Naohiro Imamura, Mamoru Murakami, Koki Mitsumoto
-
Patent number: 11273820Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes a connecting/disconnecting clutch disposed between an engine and an electric motor, an automatic transmission including an input clutch, a starting clutch disposed between the electric motor and the automatic transmission, and a control apparatus for executing an engine-start control operation for starting the engine, by igniting the engine after increasing a rotational speed of the engine by a torque of the electric motor while placing the connecting/disconnecting clutch into an engaged state. In process of the engine-start control operation that is executed when the hybrid vehicle is in a stopped state with the starting clutch being in a released state, the control apparatus places the input clutch in an engaged state until the rotational speed of the engine exceeds a predetermined speed value, and switches the input clutch to a released state after the rotational speed of the engine has exceeded the predetermined speed value.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2021Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yoichi Nakashima, Toshiya Yamashita
-
Patent number: 11267332Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a hybrid coupling mechanism and a motor vehicle. The hybrid coupling mechanism includes a fuel driven mechanism, a single row planetary gear mechanism, a clutch, an intermediate connecting shaft structure, a compound planetary gear mechanism, a first electric driving mechanism, a second electric driving mechanism and a power output mechanism, wherein the fuel driven mechanism, the first electric driving mechanism and the second electric driving mechanism are connected for output by the single row planetary gear mechanism and the compound planetary gear mechanism, and finally, power output is carried out by the power output mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2018Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: GUANGZHOU AUTOMOBILE GROUP CO., LTD.Inventors: Jiangling Zhao, Weili Wu, Jiyu Lin, Yang Yang, Xiaohua Ren, Chuan Wang