Patents Examined by Terry Chau
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Patent number: 9897206Abstract: An actuator for activating a parking lock, in particular for automatic transmissions in motor vehicles, includes a hydraulic piston which is guided in a cylinder and which activates a locking pawl for a parking lock wheel in the transmission by way of an actuating rod. The piston disengages the parking lock against the force of a preload spring which engages the parking lock in the pressureless state. An electromagnetically activated locking device can positively secure the piston in the disengaged position, with the locking device securing the piston relative to a guide sleeve attached to the cylinder with radially extendable locking elements. To improve system protection, the piston can also be secured in a positively locking fashion by the locking device in the position corresponding to the engaged state of the parking lock.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2013Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: AUDI AGInventors: Dietmar Schuller, Stefan Ammler
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Patent number: 9845862Abstract: A vent for a machinery enclosure such as an automotive axle comprises a vent body having passageway between the interior of the enclosure and the exterior of the enclosure and an ePTFE membrane covering the passageway. The membrane and a fibrous sorbent are disposed within the passageway between the interior of the enclosure and the membrane.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2006Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignee: W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.Inventor: Daniel Basham
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Patent number: 9835229Abstract: A multi-stage transmission for a vehicle may include an input shaft, an output shaft, first, second, third, and fourth planetary gear devices disposed between the input shaft and the output shaft to transmit rotary force, each of the first, second, third, and fourth planetary gear devices having three rotary elements, and at least six shifting elements connected to the rotary elements of the planetary gear devices.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2015Date of Patent: December 5, 2017Assignee: Hyundai Motor CompanyInventors: Won Min Cho, Jae Chang Kook, Myeong Hoon Noh, Seong Wook Ji, Kang Soo Seo, Seong Wook Hwang
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Patent number: 9827954Abstract: A parking brake assembly which includes a brake lever, a rotary clutch and a lock-release mechanism which cooperate to selectively lock and release a parking brake. The clutch allows actuation of the brake lever in one direction and prevents movement of the brake lever in an opposite direction. The lock-release mechanism allows selective movement of the rotary clutch and the brake lever together in the opposite direction. A gear mechanism is operatively coupled between the brake lever and the rotary clutch.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2007Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: DURA OPERATING, LLCInventors: Ronald J. Hanna, Adam W. Remesz
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Patent number: 9816591Abstract: A planetary gear train of an automatic transmission for a vehicle may include: an input shaft receiving torque of an engine; an output shaft outputting changed torque; a first planetary gear set including a first rotation element, a second rotation element, and a third rotation element; a second planetary gear set including a fourth rotation element, a fifth rotation element, and a sixth rotation element; a third planetary gear set including a seventh rotation element, an eighth rotation element, and a ninth rotation element; and a fourth planetary gear set including tenth, eleventh, and twelfth rotation elements.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2015Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: Hyundai Motor CompanyInventors: Dong Hwan Hwang, Sueng Ho Lee, Chang Wook Lee, JongSool Park, KyeongHun Lee
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Patent number: 9810301Abstract: Disclosed is a torque converter in a vehicle, in which a torsional damper reduces a natural frequency and absorbs vibration energy in an anti-resonance state for enhancing a vibration isolation function. The torque converter in a vehicle includes a torsional damper including a retaining plate coupled to the piston, a plurality of springs arranged at the retaining plate for imparting elastic force in a circumferential direction, a driven plate coupled to a spline hub which acts as a reaction force on the springs and forwards driving power to a transmission, and an inertial lever arranged between the piston and the driven plate, the inertial lever including a fixed pivot coupling portion coupled to the piston with a fixed pivot and a movable pivot coupling portion coupled to the driven plate with a movable pivot.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2013Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Assignee: Korea Powertrain Co., Ltd.Inventors: Ki-Hyun Kwon, Gi-Woo Kim, Soon-Seok Hong
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Patent number: 9797458Abstract: A shifting device for a motor vehicle transmission includes several transmission shafts which each are rotatable about a transmission axis, a synchronizer ring which is firmly connected with a transmission shaft, a first disk carrier, a plurality of first disks which are non-rotatably and axially shiftably connected with the first disk carrier, a second disk carrier which is axially shiftable relative to the first disk carrier and in circumferential direction can be coupled with the synchronizer ring both frictionally and positively, a plurality of second disks which are non-rotatably and axially shiftably connected with the second disk carrier and form a multidisk clutch with the first disks, and an actuating body for axially pressurizing the second disk carrier, wherein the actuating body and the second disk carrier are rotatable relative to each other in circumferential direction and substantially are firmly connected with each other in axial direction.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2016Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: HOERBIGER ANTRIEBSTECHNIK HOLDING GMBHInventors: Ansgar Damm, Peter Echtler, Michael Koelzer, Juergen Ackermann, Kjell Lundin
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Patent number: 9797494Abstract: A hydrokinetic torque coupling device for coupling together a driving shaft and a driven shaft. The torque coupling device includes a casing rotatable about a rotational axis and having a casing cover shell and an impeller shell, an impeller coaxial aligned with the rotational axis, a turbine-piston coaxially aligned with and drivable by the impeller and including a turbine-piston shell, a stator situated between the impeller and the turbine-piston, a torsional vibration damper configured to operatively connect the turbine-piston shell to an output hub having radially outer gear teeth, a rotatable damper hub drivenly connected to the torsional vibration damper and having radially inner gear teeth, a carrier configured to connect to a stationary stator shaft, and a planet gear rotatably supported by the carrier and meshing with the radially inner gear teeth of the damper hub and the radially outer gear teeth of the output hub.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2014Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: Valeo EmbrayagesInventors: Alexandre Depraete, Eugene Kozak
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Patent number: 9797460Abstract: A clutch apparatus is disclosed having concentrically spaced inner and outer clutches. The inner and outer clutches are coupled for rotation via a coupling ring. The present invention is well suited to a configuration wherein one of the clutches is dynamically actuated and one of the clutches is manually disengageable by the operator using a clutch lever. In this configuration, the operation of the clutch lever by the operator is unaffected by the dynamically actuated clutch. The concentric configuration of the clutches is beneficial in allowing the improved clutch to occupy a similar space compared to a traditional clutch mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2010Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Inventors: Albert James Youngwerth, Jr., Daniel Scott Youngwerth, Sean Gabriel Brown
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Patent number: 9777800Abstract: Synchronizer ring made of deep-drawable sheet metal. The ring includes a ring-shaped sheet metal body having a conical section arranged between a wall and a hub surface. One or more radially outwardly projecting guide elements are defined by radially outwardly projecting tapered indentations integrally formed with the ring-shaped sheet metal body. The wall is located at a largest conical diameter side of the ring-shaped sheet metal body and extends substantially perpendicular to a ring body axis. Gear teeth are arranged on a radially outer end of the wall. The one or more guide elements are configured to provide centering guidance relative to a hollow cylindrical surface of a synchronizer ring hub.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2014Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: OERLIKON FRICTION SYSTEMS (GERMANY) GMBHInventor: Marcus Spreckels
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Patent number: 9746074Abstract: A vehicle transmission apparatus having a starting engagement friction element, which has friction plates and a hydraulic servo including a piston that is moved according to a supplied oil pressure to press the friction plates, which is controlled to be engaged when a vehicle is started by using at least a driving force of the internal combustion engine, and which transfers creep torque. A control device capable of receiving an accelerator operation amount signal and capable of outputting a command value that controls the oil pressure. The control device executes temporary increase control of temporarily increasing the command value, when the accelerator operation amount signal is turned on from a state where the accelerator operation amount signal is off and the command value is output so that the starting engagement friction element transfers the creep torque.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2013Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: AISIN AW CO., LTD.Inventors: Yusuke Kitazawa, Kohei Tsuda
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Patent number: 9732808Abstract: A one-way clutch, including: an inner race including a first outer circumference with a first plurality of ramps and at least one wedge plate including: a first inner circumference with a second plurality of ramps; a second outer circumference; and a first plurality of slots: passing through material forming the at least one wedge plate in an axial direction; including respective first ends open to the second outer circumference; and including respective second ends radially outward of the first inner circumference and enclosed by the at least one wedge plate. The one-way clutch includes an outer race including a second inner circumference. The outer race is able to rotate with respect to the inner race in a first circumferential direction. Rotation of the outer race in a second circumferential direction, opposite the first circumferential direction, causes the rotation of the outer race to lock to rotation of the inner race.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2013Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KGInventor: Michael C. Davis
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Patent number: 9726259Abstract: A first carrier rotates integrally with an input shaft. A third sun gear and a fourth sun gear rotate integrally with a first intermediate shaft. A third carrier rotates integrally with a second ring gear. A fourth carrier rotates integrally with a third ring gear, and outputs power. A first clutch couples a first ring gear and a second sun gear to the first intermediate shaft. A second clutch couples the first carrier to a second carrier. A third clutch couples the second carrier to the first intermediate shaft. A first brake brakes rotation of a first sun gear. A second brake brakes rotation of the second ring gear and the third carrier. A third brake brakes rotation of a fourth ring gear.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2016Date of Patent: August 8, 2017Assignee: KOMATSU LTD.Inventors: Nobuhito Yasuta, Taku Matsuo, Masaki Shiohara, Yutaka Kamatani, Kohei Izumi
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Patent number: 9709144Abstract: A starting element has a torsional vibration damper coupleable with a drive with a drive-side input element rotatable against an action of a first spring element and a driven-side output component rotatable against the action of a second spring element arrangement around an axis of rotation. The driven-side output component is coupled with an output of the starting element. A hydrodynamic coupling device has a turbine and a turbine flange connected therewith fixed with respect to rotation. The turbine flange is coupled with the output to be fixed with respect to rotation a first connection. A tuned mass damper a mass damper support element coupled with an intermediate transmission arrangement by a second mechanical connection. The mass damper support element extends opposite to a radial direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation to a component of the output.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2013Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AGInventors: Georg Mencher, Peter Hammer, Stojan Cegar, Ralph Fambach
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Patent number: 9702417Abstract: A method of calibrating a hydraulically operated clutch in a continuously variable transmission of a vehicle, includes steps of filling the clutch as if for a shift, using a control signal value for achieving a test pressure, and determining a resulting change in a pressure condition in a hydrostatic power unit of the transmission. If the change indicates initial engagement, then a value representative of the signal value used is recorded. If greater than initial engagement is indicated, or the vehicle moved, then the clutch is emptied and tested using a lower test pressure. If initial engagement is not indicated, the clutch is emptied and refilled to a greater test pressure. An exemplary pressure condition is a difference in pressure in lines between a pump and motor of the power unit. During the calibration, the vehicle can be held stationary with a parking brake or the like.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2012Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: CNH Industrial America LLCInventors: Peter J. Dix, Garth H. Bulgrien, Robert C Prasse, Pavel Kuros
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Patent number: 9695913Abstract: A family of transmission gearing arrangements produces nine forward and one reverse speed ratio by selective engagement of various combinations of three clutches or brakes. Each transmission gearing arrangement includes a front shiftable gearing arrangement configured to establish a variety of speed ratios between an intermediate shaft and an input shaft. These speed ratios include a reverse speed ratio, a zero speed ratio, two underdrive ratios, and a direct ratio. Each transmission also includes a rear shiftable gearing arrangement configured to selectively establish particular speed relationships among the input shaft, the intermediate shaft, and an output shaft.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2012Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLCInventor: Gregory Daniel Goleski
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Patent number: 9695883Abstract: The clutch device includes, a right pressure flange that brings clutch discs provided on a clutch outer and clutch plates provided on a clutch inner into pressure contact with one another. A pressure ring that moves the right pressure flange with an external force and a clutch spring transmits the force toward a clutch connected position, from the pressure ring to the right pressure flange. Further, a return spring between the clutch inner and the right pressure flange urges the right pressure flange toward a clutch disconnected position. The clutch spring and the return spring are disposed parallel to a clutch axial direction, their respective positions overlapping each other in the clutch axial direction.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2012Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Kinya Mizuno, Takeshi Sugano, Masaya Murao, Kazuhiko Nakamura, Junya Ono
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Patent number: 9695888Abstract: A method for preventing overheating of a clutch for a vehicle may include determining, by a controller, whether a state of the vehicle satisfies a hill hold condition; acquiring, by the controller, a temperature of a clutch between an engine and a transmission when the hill hold condition is satisfied; applying, by the controller, a first torque having a predetermined square wave shape to the clutch when the temperature of the clutch reaches a first temperature; and applying, by the controller, a second torque having a predetermined sine wave shape to the clutch when the temperature of the clutch reaches a second temperature higher than the first temperature.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2015Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: Hyundai Motor CompanyInventor: Woon Ki Cho
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Patent number: 9689471Abstract: A first retaining ring is disposed between a first outer circumferential groove provided in an outer circumferential surface of a radial bearing, and an inner circumferential groove of a cylindrical portion of a transmission case. A ring piece is provided with an outer ring of the radial bearing. The ring piece protrudes outward in a radial direction and is in contact with an output gear side end surface of the cylindrical portion in the axial direction. A return spring urges the piston in a direction opposite to a direction in which the pressure is applied by the piston. The return spring is retained in the axial direction by a second retaining ring. The second retaining ring is locked in a second outer circumferential groove of the ring piece.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2014Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shogo Awano, Takuya Ito
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Patent number: 9663186Abstract: The present invention provides a mid-motor drive system for an electric bicycle, which includes a left shell, a right shell, a motor assembly, a gear reduction apparatus, a torque sensor, a central shaft, a controller, and a crankset, and further includes a planetary gear increase apparatus. The gear reduction apparatus is connected to the motor assembly, the planetary gear increase apparatus, and the crankset, the planetary gear increase apparatus is connected to the torque sensor and the central shaft, the torque sensor is connected to the controller, and the controller is connected to the motor assembly. The present invention can allocate an assist ratio of a motor more accurately, so as to achieve the objectives of comfortable riding, energy conservation, and environmental friendliness; meanwhile, a planetary gear increase apparatus is built inside a motor drive system, thereby making a mid-motor drive system more stable and extending a service life.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2014Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: WUXI AIMEIKE POWER MACHINERY COMPANY LIMITEDInventor: Lei Xu