Patents Examined by Stacey A Fluhart
  • Patent number: 12259031
    Abstract: A harmonic drive, having: a housing; an output shaft within the housing; an input shaft within the housing, the input shaft is configured for being in a first position in which rotation of the input shaft rotates the output shaft, and a second position that is axially offset from the first position, in which rotation of the input shaft does not rotate the output shaft; a solenoid coil within the housing that, when energized, moves the input shaft to the second position; and a spring within the housing that, when the solenoid coil is not energized, moves the input shaft to the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derick S. Balsiger, Keith A. Bloxham
  • Patent number: 12258000
    Abstract: Disclosed is a hybrid power system including a computing core, a power converter, a driving motor, an engine generator, a charging stand, and a battery pack. The power converter is coupled to the computing core. The driving motor is coupled to the power converter. The engine generator is coupled to the power converter. The charging stand is coupled to the power converter. The battery pack is coupled to the power converter. When inputting a required torque to the computing core and switching to a charging mode, an electric energy source is coupled to the charging stand and provides power to the battery pack through the power converter. The computing core executes an optimal power allocation algorithm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: APh ePower Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsiu-Hsien Su, Chien-Hsun Wu, Shang-Zeng Huang
  • Patent number: 12257904
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a hybrid drive module, which may ensure pressing pressure for a lock-up clutch while reducing, through a simple structure, operating pressure of a piston for pressing a lock-up clutch disposed in a space to which fluid pressure of a torque converter is applied, the hybrid drive module having a small number of components and being capable of being easily assembled. The present invention is accomplished by providing a compensation chamber of the piston and filling the compensation chamber with a low-pressure fluid. In addition, the low-pressure fluid may be used as a fluid for lubricating and cooling an engine clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: VALEO KAPEC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Jung-Woo Kim
  • Patent number: 12259010
    Abstract: A clutch assembly for a roller door operator, the clutch assembly providing selective engagement with a drive wheel, the clutch assembly comprising: a rotatable shaft rotatable relative to the drive wheel; a clutch disc supported in a clutch lever and arranged to rotate with the rotatable shaft, the clutch disc and clutch lever configured to rotate relative to one another around the axis of rotation of the shaft; and a clutch cam supported in a clutch base, the clutch base configured to permit operative rotation of the clutch cam around the axis of rotation of the shaft in a first direction; wherein the clutch lever is operatively associated with the clutch cam so that rotational movement of the clutch lever in a second direction opposite to the first direction actuates movement of the clutch disc and the clutch lever axially along the rotatable shaft to engage or disengage the clutch disc with the drive wheel, and subsequent rotational movement of the clutch lever in the first direction actuates rotational m
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Automatic Technology (Australia) Pty Ltd
    Inventors: Toan Dang, George Matthews
  • Patent number: 12259011
    Abstract: An electric driving apparatus includes: a housing; an electric machine; a speed shifting unit; and a double clutch unit. The double clutch unit includes: a clutch housing; a first clutch hub and a second clutch hub; a first clutch plate package; and a second clutch plate package. The speed shifting unit comprises a first output gear and a second output gear that can be independently rotationally driven by the motor shaft, and the clutch housing comprises a first gear and a second gear configured to be engaged with the first and second output gears to implement rotational driving force at different rotational speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: ERAE AMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tae Geun Kim, Jung Rak Son, Myung Chul Jung
  • Patent number: 12252233
    Abstract: A system includes an electrically-actuated clutch arranged to selectively connect a shaft to a motor shaft. Ratchets brake the shaft against rotation in either direction when the output is not within either of the predetermined ranges. Thus, when the motor shaft is connected, via the clutch, to the shaft, the ratchets may act as a brake on the motor shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: GOODRICH ACTUATION SYSTEMS SAS
    Inventors: Karl Potier, Raphael Medina
  • Patent number: 12253126
    Abstract: Methods and systems for a clutch assembly in an electric drive axle of a vehicle are provided. In one example, a clutch assembly in a gear train is provided that includes a locking clutch. The locking clutch includes a gear including a plurality of teeth having at least one tooth with a tapered end, an indexing shaft rotationally connected to an output shaft, a shift collar mounted on the indexing shaft, configured to translate on the indexing shaft into an engaged and disengaged configuration, and including a plurality of teeth on a face, where at least one tooth in the plurality of teeth in the shift collar includes a tapered end, and an indexing mechanism coupled to the shift collar and the indexing shaft and configured to accommodate for indexing between the indexing shaft and the shift collar during shift collar engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: DANA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GROUP, LLC
    Inventor: Eric M. Engerman
  • Patent number: 12253166
    Abstract: An earth working machine (10), encompassing a drive motor (42) and a working apparatus (22) drivable by the drive motor (42) so as to move rotationally, the drive motor (42) being connected to the working apparatus (22), for transfer of a torque, with interposition of a shiftable transmission (50; 150) comprising at least two gearing stages having different torque transfer ratios, is characterized in that by means of a first gearing stage of the shiftable transmission (50), an input shaft (48), coupled on the input side to the drive motor (42), of the shiftable transmission (50) is connectable in torque-transferring fashion directly to an output shaft (52), coupled on the output side to the working apparatus (22), of the shiftable transmission (50) so as to rotate together at the same rotation speed; and by means of a second gearing stage of the shiftable transmission (50), the input shaft (48) is connectable in torque-transferring fashion, with interposition of a transmission assemblage (64), to the outpu
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Wirtgen GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Berning, Tobias Stinner, Cyrus Barimani, Hardy Wilhelmi
  • Patent number: 12247630
    Abstract: A hydraulic clutch includes friction plates to transmit motive power, a piston movable between (i) a pressing position, at which the piston presses the friction plates for the hydraulic clutch to be engaged to transmit motive power, and (ii) a separated position, at which the piston is spaced apart from the friction plates for the hydraulic clutch to be disengaged to block motive power, the piston being movable into the pressing position in response to receiving hydraulic fluid to move the piston toward the pressing position, and a holder to (i) hold the piston at an intermediate position between the pressing position and the separated position in response to the piston coming into contact with the holder and (ii) release the piston from the intermediate position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Jinnai, Tomonari Tsuchida, Ryoma Iwase, Tomoyuki Tanaka, Yoshiki Fujiyama, Koki Date
  • Patent number: 12241530
    Abstract: Provided is a power transmitting device including an input side gear assembly that includes a single power input terminal and two power output terminals, an output side gear assembly that includes two power input terminals and a single power output terminal, the two power input terminals configured to operate using power received from the two power output terminals of the input side gear assembly, respectively, and a stopper module configured to block power to be transmitted through one of two power transmitting paths connecting the two power output terminals of the input side gear assembly and the two power input terminals of the output side gear assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jongwon Lee, Youn Baek Lee, Se-Gon Roh, Jeonghun Kim, Minhyung Lee, Byungjune Choi, Jungyun Choi, Hyun Do Choi
  • Patent number: 12203507
    Abstract: A fluid guide assembly for a friction disk clutch comprises an inner disk carrier having a carrier portion, a shoulder portion, and a shaft portion. The carrier portion has a connecting structure for receiving inner disks in a rotationally fixed and axially movable manner; and a fluid guide element which is fixedly connected to the inner disk carrier and which comprises an annular catching portion in which inflowing fluid can be caught, and a plurality of circumferentially distributed tab portions which extend in the axial direction and which each have a radial through-opening. The inner disk carrier has, directed radially outwardly, a plurality of longitudinal grooves which extend axially from the shoulder portion into the carrier portion and which are covered by tab portions of the fluid guide element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Kurt Thomaser, Peter Raffin, Thomas Messner, Hanspeter Putzer
  • Patent number: 12203544
    Abstract: A two-speed transmission system for an electric vehicle is disclosed. The system includes a housing, a one-way clutch assembly adapted to be mounted on an input shaft and to be coupled with a first gear drive assembly, a multi-plate friction clutch assembly adapted to be mounted on the input shaft and having a clutch hub disposed in the housing and mounted on the input shaft, a second gear drive assembly freely mounted on the input shaft and having external spline on an outer diameter adapted to be engaged with the clutch hub of the multi-plate friction clutch assembly. The one-way clutch assembly is adapted to rotate to operate the vehicle in the first gear drive when the input shaft is rotated in a drive direction, and the multi-plate friction clutch assembly is in a disengaged state when the vehicle is operated in the first gear drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: PS Satyanarayana, Prajod Ayyappath
  • Patent number: 12203509
    Abstract: An actuator and clutch assembly for a power transmission device includes a first and second clutch members arranged to selectively define a connected state of the clutch when the second clutch member is drivingly engaged with the first clutch member and a disconnected state of the clutch when the second clutch member is not drivingly engaged with the first clutch member. An electric motor drives an input member driven for rotation about an axis, and an output member is driven axially relative to the input member when the input member rotates, wherein the second clutch member moves axially with the output member. A spring provides a force on the output member that biases the output member in a direction in which the second clutch member is moved toward the first clutch member. The spring is radially and axially overlapped by the input member and the output member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Simon Broicher, Waldemar Rupp, Jan Haupt, Marc Absenger
  • Patent number: 12202379
    Abstract: A method is for operating a trailer vehicle having an electric drive and friction brakes. The method includes determining a differential mass between a first mass of a driven axle of the trailer vehicle and a second mass of a non-driven axle of the trailer vehicle, and determining a deceleration torque depending on the differential mass. The method further includes generating at least or exactly the determined deceleration torque with the electric drive when the friction brakes are activated. A trailer brake control unit is for the trailer vehicle. The trailer vehicle includes the trailer brake control unit. A combination includes a towing vehicle and a trailer vehicle having the trailer brake control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: ZF CV Systems Global GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Heseding, Felix Müller-Deile, Alexander Rodenberg, Michael Schomburg
  • Patent number: 12196272
    Abstract: A lubricant management system is provided for a work vehicle transmission. The system includes a balance piston contained in a balance piston cavity configured to receive fluid under pressure and provided between a clutch piston and a balance piston; a cooling fluid shutoff piston mounted in a passageway of the clutch piston; a valve configured to control pressure of fluid flow into the clutch piston cavity; and a controller, having processing and memory architecture, operatively coupled to the valve and configured to command the valve to adjust the pressure of the fluid flowing into the clutch piston cavity during operation of the clutch assembly. The passageway has a lubrication supply opening that is closed by the cooling fluid shutoff piston when a first pressure is within the clutch piston cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Kyle K. McKinzie, Randall L. Long
  • Patent number: 12188524
    Abstract: A clutch device for a motor vehicle includes a disc pack and an actuation device. The disc pack includes an outer disc pack and an inner disc pack arranged. The actuation device includes a retaining element, a primary piston, a secondary piston and a spring element. The primary piston and the secondary piston are each arranged on the retaining element in an axially displaceable manner and delimit respective pressure chambers. The spring element is integrally formed with the secondary piston and connects the primary and secondary pistons. When a pressure is applied to a pressure medium in the primary pressure chamber, the primary piston is arranged to move the outer disc pack against the inner disc pack and frictionally transmit torque. When a pressure is applied to a pressure medium in the secondary pressure chamber, the secondary piston is arranged to move the primary piston against the outer disc pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Elmar Lorenz
  • Patent number: 12188792
    Abstract: A park lock assembly for a vehicle transmission includes a toothed park lock gear and a moveable locking pawl that is moveable between an engaged state, in which the locking pawl is in locking engagement with the park lock gear, and a disengaged state, in which the park lock gear is freely rotatable relative to the locking pawl. The park lock assembly also includes an inductive angular position sensor located on an axial side of the park lock gear and configured for detecting angular position of the park lock gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignees: Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co., Ltd., Ningbo Geely Automobile Research & Development Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sharan Vasanadu, Johan Ekelund
  • Patent number: 12188523
    Abstract: Device for coupling two shafts end-to-end, comprising a pair of dog clutch members (16, 28). Each dog clutch member is configured so as to be able to be secured to an end of a shaft to be coupled, and the two dog clutch members (16, 28) have complementary shapes. A first dog clutch member (16) is pivotably mounted in a first casing (6). A second dog clutch member (28) is pivotably mounted in an intermediate bearing (8). The intermediate bearing (8) is slidably mounted in a second casing (10) assumed to be fixed, the intermediate bearing (8) being able to slide relative to the second casing (10) in a direction parallel to the two shafts to be coupled, termed the longitudinal direction. The intermediate bearing (8) is elastically prestressed in the direction of the first casing (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: TRACTO-LOCK
    Inventors: Romain Ribo, Cyril Mouret
  • Patent number: 12181031
    Abstract: A two-speed gearbox assembly includes a housing, a first planetary gear set configured to operably connect to an output of an electric motor, a second planetary gear set rotationally coupled to an output of the first planetary gear set, and a third gear set rotationally coupled to an output of the second planetary gearset. A first clutch is configured to selectively couple the first planetary gear set to the second planetary gear set, and a second clutch is configured to selectively ground a portion of the second planetary gear set to the housing. The gearbox assembly is selectively switchable between (i) an on-road first gear where the first clutch is engaged and the second clutch is disengaged, and (ii) an off-road second gear where the first clutch is disengaged and the second clutch is engaged to provide sustained high torque and low speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: FCA US LLC
    Inventors: Sandeep Makam, Pradeep Attibele, Donald F Schmanski
  • Patent number: 12181038
    Abstract: An aircraft capable of hovering is described, comprising a motor member; a rotor connected to the motor member; a transmission shaft rotatable around a first axis and adapted to drive the rotor; and a transmission interposed between the motor member and the rotor and comprising a planetary gear formed by a sun rotatable around a second axis; a crown that is angularly fixed; and two satellites meshing, each, with the crown and the sun, and rotatable around respective third axes, which are, in turn, rotatable around the second axis; and a satellite carrier rotatable around the second axis and comprising two first pins with respect to which the satellites are rotatable around the respective third axes; the transmission comprises an interface, angularly integral with the satellite carrier around the second axis and said transmission shaft around the first axis; the interface being coupled to said satellite carriers and the transmission shaft so as to allow an angular misalignment between the second axis and a por
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: LEONARDO S.P.A.
    Inventors: Daniele Podda, Andrea Gabrielli, Federico Montagna, Diego Scaltritti