Patents Examined by Victor L MacArthur
  • Patent number: 11014229
    Abstract: A robot includes a robot arm including an A arm rotating around an A rotation axis and a B arm provided rotatably around a B rotation axis having an axial direction different from an axial direction of the A rotation axis, an A driving mechanism including an A motor and an A reduction gear and configured to drive the A arm, and a B driving mechanism including a B motor and a B reduction gear and configured to drive the B arm. A center axis of an input shaft and a center axis of an output shaft of the A reduction gear correspond to each other. A center axis of an input shaft and a center axis of an output shaft of the B reduction gear correspond to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Inventor: Takuya Owa
  • Patent number: 11009121
    Abstract: A gearshift assembly comprises a shift lever pivotable about first and second axes, a sensor assembly comprising first and second paths of sensors, and a sensor triggering element mounted on an element carrier moveably mounted in a housing and coupled to the shift lever to enable movement of the sensor triggering element along the sensors in response to movements of the shift lever. The element carrier is moveably supported by a guide structure in the housing and coupled by a hinge connection to a link with the link connected to the shift lever. The element carrier performs linear movement in response to pivoting of the shift lever about the first axis to move the sensor triggering element along the first path of sensors, and is pivoted in response to pivoting of the shift lever about the second axis to pivot the sensor triggering element along the second path of sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Kongsberg Automotive AB
    Inventor: Anders Kvarnström
  • Patent number: 11000939
    Abstract: A wrench rotational axis re-positioning apparatus includes a housing, an interior cavity defined in the housing, input and output gear assemblies mounted to the housing and disposed in the interior cavity in a meshing contact with one another and rotatable about respective first and second axes arranged in a right angle configuration with one another, the input and output gear assemblies having respective input and output fittings for connection to respective drive and driven devices, and a ratcheting mechanism mounted to the housing and extending from exterior thereof into the interior cavity such that the ratcheting mechanism is presettable, or manually manipulatable, in either one of first and second orientations relative to the output gear assembly to enable the latter to correspondingly rotate in one or the other opposite direction about the second axis in response to the input gear assembly being rotated in either opposite direction about the first axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: E-Z Ratchet Wrench, LLC
    Inventors: Luis Cabrera, Ernesto Valladares
  • Patent number: 10994408
    Abstract: A device capable of simulating a limb of a humanoid robot includes a vertically arranged guiding rail, a lower block fixed to the lower end of die guiding rail, an upper block slidably connected to rail, a lower linkage bar rotatably coupled to the lower block, an upper linkage bar rotatably coupled to the upper block, a joint module located between and rotatably coupled to the lower linkage bar and the upper linkage bar, a sensor configured to measure a force exerted on the joint; and a data processing module electrically connected to the sensor and configured to receive data from the sensor to determine a value of the force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: UBTECH ROBOTICS CORP
    Inventors: Youjun Xiong, Weining Zhang, Hailei Li, Guangjun Hei
  • Patent number: 10994607
    Abstract: First and second encoders are fixed to a drive plate and a clutch cover of which the center portions are connected to each other via a connection shaft and which are disposed between, in a transfer path for torque outputted from an engine, a damper and a connecting/disconnecting part of a clutch mechanism of a transmission. At the same time, detection units of first and second sensors are opposed to portions to be detected of the first and second encoders, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Teruaki Ishibashi, Fumiaki Soda
  • Patent number: 10982752
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a gearshift command input portion expandable to have a volume corresponding to a gearshift range changed by a gearshift command. The vehicle includes a gearshift command input portion, a volume of which is controlled by a control signal, is configured to receive a gearshift command for changing a gearshift range. The vehicle includes a controller configured to transmit a control signal to the gearshift command input portion in a manner that the gearshift command input portion is expanded to have a volume corresponding to the changed gearshift range. A method of controlling the vehicle includes the gearshift command input portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gi Beom Hong, Seunghyun Woo, Daeyun An
  • Patent number: 10982759
    Abstract: A gear shift lever biasing apparatus includes a shift lever biased primarily along a first dimension axis using a spring. The shift lever is retained to a backing plate, which may be mounted on a frame. A contact area on the backing plate engages with a bumper that is secured to the frame with a semi-rigid retainer, thereby providing bias to the gated shift lever primarily along a second dimension axis that is primarily orthogonal to the first dimension axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shane R. Smith, Jason W. Grundey, Scott D. Batdorf
  • Patent number: 10968980
    Abstract: A linear extension and retraction mechanism that is mounted in a robot arm mechanism includes: a plurality of first pieces having a flat plate shape which are bendably connected to each other at front and rear end faces; a plurality of second pieces having a groove shape which are bendably connected to each other at front and rear end faces of a bottom part, with the first and second pieces becoming linearly rigid when superposed, and the first and second pieces returning to a bent state when separated from each other; a head section which joins a leading first piece of the plurality of first pieces and a leading second piece of the plurality of second pieces; and a sending-out mechanism section including a plurality of rollers and for firmly superposing the first and second pieces and supporting the first and second pieces movably to front and rear. At least one groove section that extends from front to rear is formed in the surfaces of the first and second pieces that contact the rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: LIFE ROBOTICS INC.
    Inventors: Woo-Keun Yoon, Daisuke Kanda, Hiroaki Matsuda
  • Patent number: 10968993
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an actuator has a roller, a helical track, and at least one track follower. The roller has a cylindrical body that has a first end, a second end that is offset from the first end along a central axis, and a cylindrical outer surface that extends from the first end to the second end. The helical track is disposed around the cylindrical outer surface in a helical pattern. The at least one track follower can be attached to a load, and rides along the helical track when the roller is rotated about the central axis so as to translate the load along an axial direction that is substantially parallel to the central axis. In some embodiments, the roller has an internal motor that is disposed within the cylindrical body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: William Scott Kalm
  • Patent number: 10960535
    Abstract: A base for a parallel kinematics robot including a plurality of gear cavities. Each gear cavity having a first bearing seat configured to receive an output shaft bearing. The base consists of one piece in homogeneous material, and thereby interfaces negatively affecting the accuracy of the robot are omitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG
    Inventor: Daniel Lundbäck
  • Patent number: 10953537
    Abstract: A robot includes a base, a robot arm including a first arm provided on the base and rotating around a first rotation axis, a first motor provided in the first arm and configured to rotate the first arm, a control board provided on an inside of the base and configured to control driving of the robot arm, and a power supply board provided on the inside of the base and configured to supply electric power to the control board. The robot includes a first driving board configured to drive the first motor on the basis of a command of the control board. The first driving board is provided in the first arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Inventor: Akio Niu
  • Patent number: 10953973
    Abstract: A ship handling device including a joystick lever configured to be inclined in a desired direction at a desired angle, and a ship handling control device configured to control driving of a forward-backward propeller generating a thrust in a front-and-rear direction of a ship body and a thruster generating a thrust in a left-and-right direction of the ship body. The ship handling control device has a normal mode in which driving of the forward-backward propeller and the thruster is controlled according to an input signal from the joystick lever, and a thruster single-driven mode in which driving of only the thruster is controlled according to an input signal from the joystick lever, and the ship handling control device is connected to a mode changing switch with which a switchover between the normal mode and the thruster single-driven mode is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: YANMAR POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akiyoshi Hayashi, Koichi Kanda, Jun Watanabe
  • Patent number: 10948058
    Abstract: A speed converter converting infinitely variable reciprocating input to uni-directional output, for example, comprising a driver, the driver comprising a variable pitch cam and a rack gear and one-way clutch bearings or Sprags and output shaft, the driver having an oblong shape may be converted to provide direction control in either of two directions and free-wheeling. The one-way clutch bearings or Sprags of a first Goldfinch speed converter are modified to comprise, concentric with the output shaft, a permanent magnet imbedded in a driven gear and direction controlling stator coils. A plurality of four (or more) electrical pulses (sine curves) may be applied to the stator coils to provide three possible outputs of desired speed: a forward output direction, a neutral or free-wheeling output and a reverse output direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Differential Dynamics Corporation
    Inventor: Kyung Soo Han
  • Patent number: 10941860
    Abstract: A shift range control apparatus switches shift ranges by controlling a drive of a motor. The shift range control apparatus is provided with a motor drive controller and an actual range determination portion. The motor drive controller is capable of switching between at least two control modes as motor control modes that are modes in which the motor is controlled. The actual range determination portion determines an actual shift range, based on a requested shift range and the motor control modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shigeru Kamio
  • Patent number: 10933525
    Abstract: A horizontal articulated robot includes a base, a first arm supported by the base to be pivotable in a horizontal direction, a second arm supported by the first arm to be pivotable in the horizontal direction, a shaft supported by the second arm to be linearly movable along a longitudinal axis in a vertical direction, and a stopper mounted to the shaft and limiting movement of the shaft within a movable range. The stopper includes a fixing section fixed to an outer circumferential surface of the shaft and protruding therefrom, and a shock absorbing section fixed to one of the fixing section and the second arm. The shock absorbing section is disposed in a position sandwiched by the fixing section and the second arm in the vertical direction, and is elastically compressed in the vertical direction when the shaft tries to move beyond the movable range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hikaru Yamashiro
  • Patent number: 10935108
    Abstract: In a transmission apparatus for a saddle-type vehicle, dowels on first transmission gears are engageable in and disengageable from dowel holes in adjacent second transmission gears to shift gear positions. The first transmission gears are slidable in response to angular movement of a shift spindle caused by operating a shift pedal. Invalid engagement time, during which the dowels and dowel columns are in sliding abutment, at an idling engine rotational speed is in the range from 0 msec. to 40 msec., providing an enhanced feeling for gear shifting operations and reduce hammering noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Eiji Kittaka, Takashi Kudo
  • Patent number: 10935130
    Abstract: A shiftable shaft connector that has a sliding sleeve that can be displaced axially between an engaged position and a disengaged position, a shifting gear (6) with a shifting contour (11) that is connected in an axially fixed manner to the sliding sleeve and can rotate in relation thereto, at least one support element corresponding to the shifting contour (11), and an actuator for rotating the shifting gear (6), in which the shifting contour (11) has a release stop (14) assigned to the disengaged position, and an engagement selection stop (15) and an engagement stop (16) assigned to the engaged position, a method for shifting such a shaft connector, wherein the shifting gear (6) is rotated in a releasing direction in order to displace the sliding sleeve into the disengaged position, until the at least one support element reaches the release stop (14) of the shifting contour (11), and is rotated in an engagement direction in order to displace the sliding sleeve into the engaged position of the shifting gear (6
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Martin Ruider, Michael Ibele
  • Patent number: 10933731
    Abstract: A combination starter-generator device is provided for a work vehicle having an engine. The starter-generator device includes an electric machine and a gear set configured to receive rotational input from the electric machine and from the engine and to couple the electric machine and the engine in a first power flow direction and a second power flow direction. The gear set is configured to operate a first, second, or third gear ratio in the first power flow direction and a fourth gear ratio in the second power flow direction. At least one clutch is selectively coupled to the gear set to effect the first, second, and third gear ratios in the first power flow direction and the fourth gear ratio in the second power flow direction. A magnetic cam assembly is configured to shift the at least one clutch from a disengaged position into an engaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: DEERE & COMPANY
    Inventors: Steven R. Fliearman, Lisa R. Lloyd
  • Patent number: 10919159
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a joint assembly (1) for a robot (100), comprising a housing (26) connected with an output part (8), the housing comprising a housing wall (26A), a strain wave gearing system (90) comprising a wave generator (7), a flexspline (13), and a circular spline (36) connected to the output part (8), wherein the wave generator (7) is rotated by a rotor shaft (3), the rotor shaft being driven by an electric motor (140) comprising a stator (15) and a rotor magnet (16), the rotor magnet (16) being affixed to the rotor shaft (3), and wherein the joint assembly (1) further comprises a rotor brake (30) configured to stop/prevent relative movement between the rotor shaft (3) and the flexspline (13), and sensors arranged to measure the position of the housing (26) in relation to the output part (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Kassow Robots ApS
    Inventor: Kristian Kassow
  • Patent number: 10919160
    Abstract: An electrodynamic apparatus includes a first arm extending in a first direction, a second arm supported by the first arm, a linear actuator that moves the second arm along the first direction with respect to the first arm, a support extending in a second direction that is different from the first direction and supporting the first arm, and a rotating mechanism that rotates the support about an axis of rotation parallel to the second direction. The first arm includes a power transmission antenna. The second arm includes a power reception antenna. The power transmission antenna supplies electric power to the power reception antenna wirelessly. In rotating the support, the linear actuator moves the center of gravity of the second arm to the axis of rotation first, and then the rotating mechanism rotates the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Tsutomu Sakata, Eiji Takahashi, Hiroshi Kanno, Satoru Kikuchi