Patents Examined by Terry Chau
  • Patent number: 9644692
    Abstract: A one-way transmission structure is provided, which includes a sleeve and a rotating shaft passing through the sleeve, where the rotating shaft is fixed in the sleeve through a rope in a suspended manner, a first end of the rope hitches on the rotating shaft and forms a Prusik knot, and a second end of the rope is fastened on a side wall of the sleeve. In the one-way transmission structure, an active portion and a passive portion can be connected flexibly, which has advantages such as a simple structure, a low manufacturing and maintenance cost, and conveniences in mounting and maintenance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Inventor: Aaron Zhang
  • Patent number: 9638286
    Abstract: A multi-step transmission for a vehicle may include an input shaft, an output shaft, first to fourth planetary gear devices disposed between the input shaft and the output shaft to transmit rotary force, each of the first to 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: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Won Min Cho, Jae Chang Kook, Myeong Hoon Noh, Seong Wook Ji, Kang Soo Seo, Seong Wook Hwang
  • Patent number: 9624990
    Abstract: Actuator arrangement for a drive train, which has at least one friction clutch for transmitting drive torque and has a transmission. The friction clutch can be actuated by means of a hydraulic clutch cylinder, which is connected directly to a pump port of a pump driven by an electric motor in order to actuate the friction clutch, such that the friction clutch can be actuated by varying the speed of the pump. The actuator arrangement has a parking lock actuator device for actuating a parking lock arrangement of the drive train. The parking lock actuator device has at least one hydraulic parking lock cylinder, which can be connected to the pump, such that the parking lock arrangement can be actuated by varying at least one of the direction of rotation or the speed of the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: GETRAG GETRIEBE- UND ZAHNRADFABRIK HERMANN HAGENMEYER GMBH & CIE KG
    Inventors: Guenter Ruehle, Alexander Kiehlneker
  • Patent number: 9625023
    Abstract: A tuned damper for a torque converter includes a piston plate with a pivot ring, an inertia ring at least partially rotatable in a circumferential direction relative to the piston plate, and a resilient element fixed to the inertia ring and frictionally engaged with the piston plate pivot ring. In some example embodiments, the pivot ring includes a pair of radially extending tabs, the resilient element includes a radially-extending leaf spring fixed to a slide roll, and an outer circumference of the slide roll is clamped by the pivot ring tabs. In an example embodiment, the pivot ring tabs each include respective distal bent segments extending toward one another to limit radial displacement of the slide roll. In an example embodiment, an inertia of the inertia ring and a torsional spring rate of the resilient element are selected so that a natural frequency of the inertia ring is less than a shudder frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Jeffrey Hemphill, Michael G. Swank, Edmund Maucher, Ashi Uppal
  • Patent number: 9625030
    Abstract: An automatic transmission is provided with a frictional engagement member that is operated by hydraulic pressure for shifting the automatic transmission, and includes an air vent opening. An automatic transmission controller includes a pressure regulator and a control section. The pressure regulator regulates the hydraulic pressure in response to a hydraulic pressure control signal. The control section performs an air vent operation of venting air from the frictional engagement member through the air vent opening. The air vent operation includes: a preliminary operation of setting the hydraulic pressure control signal to a preliminary pulse indicative of a preliminary value of pressure, wherein the preliminary value is lower than a normal value of pressure; and a normal operation of setting the hydraulic pressure control signal to a normal pulse indicative of the normal value, wherein the normal pulse follows the preliminary pulse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: JATCO Ltd
    Inventors: Masaru Shimada, Hideharu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9616895
    Abstract: A controller and control strategies minimize shift shock in a hybrid electric vehicle during a downshift during regenerative braking by maintaining the transmission input speed substantially linear when the transmission input speed is slowing. The controller and the control strategies control the regenerative braking torque during a downshift occurring during regenerative braking in such a way that the transmission input speed is maintained substantially linear when the transmission input speed is slowing during a torque phase of the downshift.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bernard D. Nefcy, Daniel Scott Colvin, Walter Joseph Ortmann, Marvin Paul Kraska, Mark Steven Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9618058
    Abstract: An actuator system for hydraulic actuation of a clutch comprises a master cylinder with a master piston, a readjustment container for containing hydraulic fluid, a connection opening between the readjustment container and the master cylinder, where a degree of openness of the connection opening is dependent on the position of the master piston, and a hydraulic actuator to control a position of the master piston. In an actuator system, a control device for controlling the hydrostatic actuator is also provided, such that a speed of motion of the master piston is high while the connection opening is wide open, and low while the connection opening is open a little. In a method according to the disclosure, a position of the master piston is detected, and the actuator is controlled at different speeds depending on the position or the degree of openness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Marco Treder, Reinhard Stehr
  • Patent number: 9618086
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dual-clutch transmission, using two input shafts (1, 2) and two driving shafts (3, 18), realizing seven forward gears (D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, D7) and a reverse gear (R), eliminating a special reverse gear shaft for the reverse gear (R), and using eight synchronizers (S1, S2, S3, S4) to control the switching of all of the eight gears, namely the seven forward gears (D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, D7) and the reverse gear (R), wherein part of the gears share a driving gear, so that the quantity of total parts and the axial length of the transmission are reduced; since the diameters of driven gears (14, 15, 16) of low-speed gears are relatively large, engagement sleeves of the corresponding synchronizers (S2, S3) can be arranged on the inner sides of the driven gears (14, 15, 16) according to structural arrangement requirements, so that an axial space is greatly saved; and the reverse gear shaft and a gear thereon are eliminated, the saved space facilitates the arrangement of a gear shaft fork mechanism
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignees: Chery Automobile Co., Ltd., Wuhu Power-Technology Research Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jian Lin
  • Patent number: 9611902
    Abstract: A controllable clutch (18) for a belt tensioner (16) comprises a drive member (32), a driven element (24) and a clutch pawl (40) that is movably supported on the input side (30) between a home position and an engaged position and in the engaged position couples the drive member (32) to the driven element (24), wherein the clutch pawl (40) is tension-loaded in the engaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: TRW Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Martin Nuding, Wolfgang Holbein
  • Patent number: 9611900
    Abstract: A clutch apparatus includes a clutch pack having a plurality of friction disks. The clutch pack will selectively transfer torque from a torque supplying member to a first torque receiving member. The apparatus also includes a first piston chamber positioned radially outward of the clutch pack. The first piston chamber is operably connected to the clutch pack for exerting a compressive force on at least a portion of the clutch pack as a first fluid is pressurized into the first piston chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventor: Martin E. Kummer
  • Patent number: 9611904
    Abstract: A centrifugal clutch apparatus can include a driving-side rotational member rotatable around a shaft member connected to a driving device; clutch devices mounted on the driving-side rotational member and movable radially-outward of the driving-side rotational member. A driven-side rotational member rotatable independent from the driving-side rotational member can be arranged for covering the driving-side rotational member and can have an inner circumferential surface to engage with the clutch devices. Friction members can be adapted to be abutted against the inner circumferential surface so as to transmit the driving power of the driving device to the driven-side rotational member. The inner circumferential surface of the driven-side rotational member can be formed with a groove and a tensioning member formed as a ring-shaped member can be snap-fitted into the groove and held therein under a radially-outward biasing force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha F.C.C.
    Inventors: Makoto Kataoka, Masahiro Yamagishi, Naoyuki Miwa, Masataka Murai, Kaoru Aono
  • Patent number: 9470276
    Abstract: A bi-directional actuator for a motor vehicle drive train is provided. The actuator includes a first axially stationary part; a second axially stationary part; an activation part between the first axially stationary part and the second axially stationary part, the activation part being axially movable to alternately contact the first axially stationary part and the second axially stationary part; and an actuation part engaging the first axially stationary part and the second axially stationary part, contact between the activation part and the first axially stationary part causing the first axially stationary part to force the actuation part in a first axial direction, contact between the activation part and the second axially stationary part causing the second axially stationary part to force the actuation part in a second axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Yang Wang
  • Patent number: 9455607
    Abstract: A clutch including a drive shaft, drive side rotation body, driven shaft, driven side rotation body, clutch housing, and lock member is disclosed. During non-rotation of the drive side rotation body, when the driven side rotation body is rotated, the lock member is pushed by the driven side rotation body and moved outward in a radial direction thereby bringing the contact portion into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the clutch housing. During rotation of the drive side rotation body, the drive side rotation body pushes a drive side cam surface in the rotation direction, and the drive side cam surface acts to move the lock member inward in the radial direction and push the lock member against the driven side rotation body. Thus, the lock member is sandwiched between the drive side rotation body and the driven side rotation body thereby coupling the drive side rotation body and the driven side rotation body with the lock member to be integrally rotatable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: ASMO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuo Mizutani, Tomoki Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9453540
    Abstract: A double clutch system for a drive train that includes a drive unit and a double clutch transmission. The double clutch system includes two wet-running, multi-plate clutches that include inner plate carrier components, each of which is non-rotatably connected to a respective transmission input shaft, and between which cooling oil is supplied to the multi-plate clutches. A pressure chamber is provided for the cooling oil radially inwardly of at least one of the multi-plate clutches and in an axial direction between the inner plate carrier components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ivo Agner, Oliver Nöhl
  • Patent number: 9453539
    Abstract: A clutch cover assembly is provided whereby accurate wear compensation can be executed. The present clutch cover assembly includes a clutch cover, a pressure plate, a diaphragm spring, an wear-amount detecting mechanism and an wear tracking mechanism. The wear-amount detecting mechanism includes a detection member for detecting the wear-amount of a friction member and a moving member configured to be movable in accordance with the wear-amount of the friction member. The detection member is engaged with the fulcrum rings and detects the wear-amount through the fulcrum rings, while being engaged with the moving member and being configured to be disengaged from the moving member at a predetermined wear-amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: EXEDY Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Wakabayashi, Norihiko Tanigawa, Nobuhiko Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9453574
    Abstract: A transmission controller judges whether or not there was performed a specific shift operation where the mode of a transmission is alternately switched between a D-mode and a R-mode, and when it is judged that the specific shift operation was performed and when a forward clutch is engaged, the forward clutch is brought into an engaged state by supplying a hydraulic pressure lower than a lock pressure, with which a locking mechanism is brought into a locked state, to an ON-pressure piston chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: JATCO LTD
    Inventors: Yusuke Nakano, Katsuya Kobayashi, Kouzi Matsumoto, Tomomasa Ikeda
  • Patent number: 9453542
    Abstract: Improvements in one way clutches include a first embodiment directed to a one way clutch having two sets of helical teeth arranged about the axis of rotation of a drive and driven member that translate axially into and out of engagement. The one way clutch is biased into engagement by a wave washer or similar device. As the speed of rotation of the clutch increases, hydraulic fluid which is directed axially against the drive member by a dam urges the drive member away from the driven member and opens the clutch. In a second embodiment, a pair of one way clutches having oppositely arranged sets of helical teeth selectively provide one way or overrunning operation in both directions. In this embodiment, each of the drive members may be selectively engaged with the driven member by a hydraulic piston. Respective return springs bias the pistons and drive members toward disengaged positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations, LLC
    Inventor: Robert Alan Dziurda
  • Patent number: 9452756
    Abstract: A vehicle control system includes an internal combustion engine capable of switching an operating state and a non-operating state while a vehicle travels, an engaging device capable of switching an engaged state in which the internal combustion engine is engaged with a driving wheel so that a power can be transmitted therebetween and a release state in which the engagement is released, and a controller configured to control the internal combustion engine and the engaging device based on a vehicle speed parameter as to a traveling speed of the vehicle and a determination parameter different from the vehicle speed parameter, place the engaging device in a release state at the time stop permission conditions of the internal combustion engine as to the determination parameter have been established while the vehicle travels at deceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takahiro Yokokawa, Yoshio Itou
  • Patent number: 9447827
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper equipped clutch (20) for a combustion engine (E) includes a clutch drum (32), coupled with a cutter blade (3) through a drive shaft (6), a clutch shoe (34) connected with a crankshaft (16) of the combustion engine (E) and capable of being connected with the clutch drum (32) by the effect of a centrifugal force. The clutch (20) further includes a flywheel (18) fixed to the crankshaft (16) by means of a nut (19), and a holder (36) connected with the flywheel (18) for relative movement in a circumferential direction through a helical compression spring (50). The clutch shoe (34) is supported by the holder (36), and a stopper structure (56) is provided between the flywheel (18) and the holder (36) for transmitting a rotational force of the combustion engine (E) to the holder (36).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tsuneyoshi Yuasa
  • Patent number: 9447875
    Abstract: A transmission for a vehicle is provided which prevents generation of a speed change shock at the time of starting the vehicle from a neutral condition. In the transmission, hydraulic clutches are each put into a connected state according to an action of an oil pressure, and a plurality of selectively engageable speed-stage gear trains are provided so that a neutral condition can be obtained. At the time of shifting from the neutral condition, where the oil pressures in hydraulic clutches are in a lowered state, to a starting condition in which a starting gear train is engaged, pressure in the hydraulic clutch corresponding to the starting gear train is controlled by a control valve, so that the oil pressure in the hydraulic clutch is maintained in the lowered state during and immediately after a shifting operation, and is subsequently increased in response to complete engagement of the starting gear train.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kinya Mizuno, Yasushi Fujimoto, Seiji Hamaoka, Eiji Kittaka