Patents Examined by Tisha D Lewis
  • Patent number: 12024174
    Abstract: A control device includes control circuits of a plurality of systems. When a transition condition is established, the control circuits of the systems make transition of a driving mode from a first driving mode to a second driving mode, and when a return condition is established in a state in which the driving mode has transitioned to the second driving mode, the control circuits of the systems make transition of the driving mode from the second driving mode to the first driving mode while gradually changing the current command values of the control circuits' own systems toward the current command values before the adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuma Hasegawa, Yuji Fujita, Takashi Kodera, Isao Namikawa, Atsushi Ishihara, Masaharu Yamashita, Kenji Shibata, Yuko Goto, Hiroki Tomizawa, Nobuyori Nakajima
  • Patent number: 12017635
    Abstract: A method of controlling a continuously variable electric drivetrain (CVED) including a high ratio traction drive transmission and at least one of a first motor-generator and a second motor-generator is disclosed. The method includes the steps of receiving an output speed, determining a kinematic output speed, and determining a slip state of the high ratio traction drive transmission based on a comparison of the output speed to the kinematic output speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: DANA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GROUP, LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. David, Travis J. Miller
  • Patent number: 12013032
    Abstract: An electromagnetic valve control device includes a control signal generator to, through feedback control involving an environmental coefficient, generate a control signal intended for at least one electromagnetic valve and corresponding to a target electric current value, a coefficient determiner to determine an environmental coefficient during a learning period from a start of a driver operation to an end of a predetermined time, and an operation limiter to limit respective operations of the at least one electromagnetic valve and a gear transmission during the learning period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: KUBOTA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuo Yamaguchi, Ryoma Iwase
  • Patent number: 12007005
    Abstract: A multi-speed transmission including a plurality of planetary gearsets and a plurality of selective couplers to achieve at least eighteen forward speed ratios and at least two reverse speed ratios is disclosed. The plurality of planetary gearsets may include a first planetary gearset, a second planetary gearset, a third planetary gearset, a fourth planetary gearset, and a fifth planetary gearset. The plurality of selective couplers may include a number of clutches and a number of brakes. The multi-speed transmission may have five planetary gearsets and eight selective couplers. The eight selective couplers may include three clutches and five brakes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Nayan Patel, Jorge F. Briceno, Conrad Rockey
  • Patent number: 11990274
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for operating a solenoid actuator to engage and/or disengage a torque transmission member of a vehicle transmission. In one example, a method may include increasing the holding force of the solenoid actuator. Additionally, the solenoid actuator may include a translatable structural element that creates a moment upon touching another structural element holding the translatable element in a locked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: DANA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GROUP, LLC
    Inventors: Sagar B. Bangar, Michael Z. Creech
  • Patent number: 11987137
    Abstract: A method of controlling a drive axle system. The drive axle system includes a first axle assembly and a second axle assembly that are electrically connected to the same electric power source or different electric power sources. The method operates the axle assemblies within power and current limits of an associated electric power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Edvin Godo, Banuchandar Muthukumar
  • Patent number: 11982238
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine may include a high speed spool, a low speed spool, a first epicyclic gear system, and a second epicyclic gear system. Generally, the high speed spool mechanically connects a high pressure turbine to a high pressure compressor, and the low speed spool mechanically connects a low pressure turbine to at least one of a fan and a prop via the first epicyclic gear system and to a low pressure compressor via the second epicyclic gear system, according to various embodiments. The first epicyclic gear system and the second epicyclic gear system may include a common sun gear shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: William G. Sheridan, Michael E. McCune
  • Patent number: 11970169
    Abstract: An antilock control method for a braking system of a vehicle has at least the following steps: upon the presence of a brake request signal, outputting a brake control signal and building up a brake pressure by a braking medium at a wheel brake of a vehicle wheel, measuring a wheel speed of the vehicle wheel to be braked, and determining a wheel slip of the vehicle wheel, upon meeting a first traction criterion or a locking tendency of the vehicle wheel, activating a wheel drive unit and applying a wheel drive torque on the vehicle wheel to increase the wheel circumferential velocity and to reduce the wheel slip until a second traction criterion is met. The brake force introduced in the wheel brake is controlled as a function of the wheel slip by releasing the brake pressure upon satisfying a first traction criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: ZF CV Systems Europe BV
    Inventors: Steffen Gerlach, Alexander Rodenberg, Michael Schomburg
  • Patent number: 11970153
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating a driveline disconnect clutch of a hybrid vehicle are presented. In one example, a driveline disconnect clutch liftoff pressure is estimated according to a derivative of a driveline disconnect clutch pressure when a driveline disconnect clutch is being de-stroked. The driveline disconnect clutch may be prepositioned in anticipation of driveline disconnect closing based on the estimated driveline disconnect clutch liftoff pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Akshay Bichkar, Corey James Blue, Samuel Melville Glauber, Joseph Kucharski, Bradley Dean Riedle
  • Patent number: 11970170
    Abstract: A drive system for an axle of a motor vehicle can be controlled. The drive system can have at least one drive unit driving a drive shaft, a first output shaft, and a second output shaft, as well as first and second clutches connecting the drive shaft to the first and second output shafts, respectively. A control unit of the drive system controls the clutches to operate at least at certain operating points with a micro-slip control in which a speed differential between the drive shaft and the output shaft of >0 revolutions per minute (RPM) and <50 RPM is set for the respective clutch. A travel state of the motor vehicle can be detected, including detecting: traveling straight ahead and cornering in the pull mode, and a control strategy can be selected and applied for each clutch, wherein the control strategy is different for different travel states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Ltd.
    Inventors: Harwin Niessen, Michael Höck
  • Patent number: 11964592
    Abstract: An electric-axle device for a commercial vehicle that can minimize the frequency of using a main brake when braking, may include a first clutch device disposed between a motor and a differential casing to transmit or block power, a second clutch device disposed between the differential casing and a disc, an electromagnetic brake applying a braking force to the disc, and that can increase a coasting distance and improve energy efficiency and durability of the motor by disengaging the first clutch device and the second clutch device such that kinetic energy, which is transmitted to the motor from an axle shaft, is blocked as if a neutral gear of a transmission is engaged, when the vehicle coasts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventor: Seong Hun Park
  • Patent number: 11951990
    Abstract: A gear shift control device of an automobile including a driving motor, a relay clutch capable of disconnecting an engine, includes memory storing a gear shift map for determining the switching start timing of the gear position, a transmission control unit that switches the gear position based on the gear shift map, a regeneration control unit, and a relay clutch control unit. The gear shift map includes a cooperative regeneration map and non-cooperative regeneration maps that define the thresholds of relatively low revolutions. The threshold of a predetermined low gear shift point is defined to be smaller than the thresholds of the gear shift points higher than the predetermined low gear shift point on the downshift side in the non-cooperative regeneration maps, and is defined to be smaller than the threshold of the predetermined low gear shift point on the downshift side in the cooperative regeneration map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Daigo Nishikori, Hiroaki Gotan, Akina Inagaki, Tomohiro Okubo, Kiminori Higo, Takayuki Mikami
  • Patent number: 11946535
    Abstract: A clamp building block differential (2) includes a differential cage (10) extending in a longitudinal direction (4), a transverse direction (6) transverse to the longitudinal direction (4), and a vertical direction (8) transverse to the longitudinal direction (4) and transverse to the transverse direction (6), having a cage bottom (12) extending in the longitudinal direction (4) and the transverse direction (6) from which a first cage wall (14) and a second cage wall (16) extend in the vertical direction (8) and which are spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction (6), and including a cage column (18) which extends in the vertical direction (8) and which is held on the cage walls (14, 16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: DOUBLEEAGLE INDUSTRY (CHINA) LIMITED
    Inventor: Martynas Puotkalis
  • Patent number: 11919400
    Abstract: A powertrain includes an engine; a driveline including a gearbox having an input shaft connected to the engine, an output shaft to be connected to driving wheels of the vehicle and a countershaft for transmitting a rotation of the input shaft to the output shaft which can be coupled to the input shaft; an electric machine; a gear reduction mechanism having a free wheel and at least three separate and rotatable junction elements, the rotational speeds of the junction elements being interdependent but not having a fixed ratio relative to one another: a first junction element that is connected to the electric machine; a second junction element that is connectable to the free wheel; a third junction element that is connected to the countershaft. The torque ratio between the third junction element and the first junction element can be selected from at least two different ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yann Boete
  • Patent number: 11919502
    Abstract: An electrified fire fighting vehicle includes a battery pack, an electromagnetic device, an engine, and a controller. The controller is configured to monitor a state-of-charge of the battery pack, operate the electromagnetic device using stored energy in the battery pack to provide a performance condition including (i) accelerating the electrified fire fighting vehicle to a driving speed of at least 50 miles-per-hour in an acceleration time and (ii) maintaining or exceeding the driving speed for a period of time, and start and operate the engine in response to a start condition to facilitate reserving sufficient stored energy in the battery pack such that the state-of-charge is maintained above a minimum state-of-charge threshold that is sufficient to facilitate the performance condition. The acceleration time is 30 second or less. An aggregate of the acceleration time and the period of time is at least 3 minutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
    Inventors: Jason Shively, Seth Newlin, David Kay, Jack Bermingham, Jon Morrow, David Steinberger
  • Patent number: 11920680
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a chain tensioner that serves as an oil damper using oil supplied from an oil pump. The vehicle includes a controller that controls a traveling mode of the vehicle in a BEV mode or a non-BEV mode. When shifting the traveling mode from the BEV mode to the non-BEV mode, the controller executes a high-pressure process for controlling the oil pump such that a supply pressure of oil supplied to the chain tensioner becomes higher when a duration of the BEV mode is greater than or equal to a specified time than when the BEV mode duration is less than the specified time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kentaro Mushiga, Junji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11919399
    Abstract: A hybrid power system includes an engine and a motor. A motor stator of the motor is connected with a drive shaft of a motor vehicle through a transmission mechanism, so that the motor stator can also rotate relative to the chassis and other structures of the motor vehicle, thus, the hybrid power system composed of the engine and the motor can meet the application of various working conditions such as starting, idling, forwarding and reversing of the motor vehicle, and the number of parts of the hybrid system is greatly reduced, thereby simplifying the overall structure of the hybrid power system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: WEICHAI POWER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Fenglong Lv, Lei Zhang, Yamei Xu, Fei Wang, Zhengxing Zhang, Bin Zhang
  • Patent number: 11912279
    Abstract: Systems and methods for limiting functionality of a vehicle are described. In one example, vehicle feature modules may specify vehicle behaviors and vehicle operation is limited according to the specified behaviors. Vehicle actuators may be adjusted to limit vehicle operation according to the specified vehicle behaviors. The vehicle behaviors may apply to powertrain systems, navigation systems, climate control systems, lighting systems and other vehicle systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Thompson, David Hancock, Scott Christensen, John Rollinger, Jeremy Russell, Jeffrey Tumavitch, Dennis Light, David Schmitt
  • Patent number: 11906031
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: an interrupter including a first connector connected to a driving source, a second connector connected to a transmission, and a fluid in a gap between the first and second connectors; and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry receives flowability information indicating a value related to flowability of the fluid. The processing circuitry determines whether or not a predetermined power interruption condition is satisfied. When the above condition is satisfied, and the processing circuitry determines that the value is less than a predetermined reference value, the processing circuitry controls the speed change actuator to set the transmission to a first gear stage. When the condition is satisfied, and the processing circuitry determines that the value is not less than the reference value, the processing circuitry controls the speed change actuator to set the transmission to a second gear stage having a lower reduction ratio than the first gear stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: KAWASAKI MOTORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Shohei Mizuishi, Masahiro Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11906024
    Abstract: A vehicle drive device includes: a rotating electrical machine that functions as a driving force source for wheels; an input member drivingly connected to rotating electrical machine; a pair of output members each drivingly connected to wheel; a differential gear mechanism that distributes rotation transmitted from rotating electrical machine to pair of output members; a transmission gear mechanism that drivingly connects input member and differential gear mechanism; a hydraulic pump that includes a pump rotor and chamber housing the pump rotor and that supplies oil to at least the rotating electrical machine; and a case. The case includes a partition portion that separates in an axial direction a first housing chamber housing rotating electrical machine and a second housing chamber housing transmission gear mechanism and differential gear mechanism). Pump chamber is formed in partition wall so as to be located between first and second housing chambers in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryohei Inoue