Patents Examined by William C. Joyce
  • Patent number: 10710449
    Abstract: A geartrain for a powertrain system is disposed to transfer mechanical power between an internal combustion engine, an electric machine and a driveline. The geartrain includes a flywheel, a torque converter, an off-axis mechanical connection and a transmission gearbox. The off-axis mechanical connection includes a first element rotatably coupled to a second element. The flywheel is coupled to a crankshaft of the internal combustion engine. The torque converter includes a pump, a turbine and a pump hub, and the transmission gearbox includes an input member. The pump of the torque converter is coupled to the flywheel, and the pump hub is coupled to the first element of the off-axis mechanical connection. The second element of the off-axis mechanical connection is coupled to a rotor of the electric machine, and the turbine of the torque converter is coupled to the input member of the transmission gearbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Farzad Samie, Derek F. Lahr, Peter Beller, Chunhao J. Lee
  • Patent number: 10697526
    Abstract: A variator comprises first and second races disposed for rotation about a variator axis and at least one rolling element disposed in a cavity between the races. In a drive configuration, drive is transmitted between the races and the at least one rolling element; and in a neutral configuration, the at least one rolling element and races are configured whereby the races can move independently of one another. In a method of operating the variator, the neutral configuration is obtained by moving the at least one rolling element to a position in which it ceases to make contact with at least one of the races. The drive configuration is obtained by moving the at least one rolling element to a position in which it makes contact with both of the races.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: ALLISON TRANSMISSION, INC.
    Inventor: John Fuller
  • Patent number: 10697517
    Abstract: A modular multi-engine system having a plurality of engines and a plurality of gear units each gear unit having at least one rotatable member and a drive shaft being driven by one of the plurality of engines, where at least one of the gear units is a main gear and the other peripheral gear unit(s). Each rotatable member of each gear unit engages at least one other rotatable member of an adjacent gear unit such as to ultimately transfer torque from all the engines operable in said modular multiengine system to an output drive shaft connected to said main gear unit. The rotatable member of at least one of the peripheral gear units is located at a different height than at least one other cogwheel of another gear unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Inventors: Shamir Shmuel Snir, Shimshon Nagar
  • Patent number: 10690243
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a range switching device for performing range switching of an automatic transmission by using an actuator that is electrically controlled to be driven, and to a switching method thereof. A range switching device of an automatic transmission that can reduce collision noise occurring from a detent mechanism and a switching method thereof are provided. The automatic transmission includes a detent mechanism that presses a roller against a groove by using a spring, moves the roller between grooves, and determines a range position of the transmission, and a range of the transmission is changed by driving the detent mechanism by the actuator. In changing a range position of the transmission, the actuator is braked in accordance with a drawing force of the spring into a groove so that energy of the velocity when the roller reaches a target stop position can be controlled to approach zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Noto, Hideki Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 10678291
    Abstract: A control element, in particular, a switching device for the manual actuation of functions in a motor vehicle, having a handle. The handle is mounted on a carrier such that the handle is adjustable in two different directions from a neutral position into adjustment positions. The control element furthermore can detect the adjustment positions, with the control element having a code carrier for the detection of the adjustment positions, which encodes the adjustment positions, and a sensor which senses the coding, in such a way that all adjustment positions can be detected by way of the one code carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Marquardt GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Buschle, Rainer Berchtold, Robert Masa
  • Patent number: 10675964
    Abstract: A road vehicle with an electric drive having: a heat engine provided with a carrier shaft; a gearbox; at least one pump actuated by a carrier shaft; at least a reversible electric machine; a first mechanical transmission, which transmits the motion from the drive shaft of the heat engine to the carrier shaft and is provided with a first freewheel; a second mechanical transmission, which transmits the motion from the shaft of the electric machine to the carrier shaft and is provided with a second freewheel; and a third mechanical transmission, which is arranged in parallel to the second mechanical transmission, transmits the motion from the shaft of the electric machine to the carrier shaft, is provided with a third freewheel and reverses the direction of motion with respect to the second mechanical transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Ferrari S.p.A.
    Inventor: Franco Cimatti
  • Patent number: 10677323
    Abstract: A dual clutch transmission for a motor vehicle, with gear wheel sets, which can be engaged via shift elements and which form exactly eight wheel planes, which are associated, respectively, with a first sub-transmission and a second sub-transmission, of which each sub-transmission has a respective input shaft and the two sub-transmissions have a common output shaft, which is axis-parallel to the input shafts. The mutually coaxial input shafts can each be activated in alternation via a power-shift clutch, and the even forward gears are associated with the first sub-transmission and the odd forward gears are associated with the second sub-transmission, which can be engaged when a gear shift occurs via the shift elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventor: Steffen Hummel
  • Patent number: 10677328
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a bridge-type ball screw (1) with a bridge member (5) fit into a nut bridge window (6). The bridge member (5) has a linking groove (5a) with a rolling track that acts as a circulating path. After the bridge member (5) is fit into the nut bridge window (6), a cylindrical mandrel (8), with projections (9), is inserted into the nut (3). An upper die (10) restricts the upper surface of the bridge member (5) and is lowered while the nut (3) is held between the upper die (10) and the mandrel (8). A connection part is subject to plastic working by the projections (9) of the mandrel (8). The bridge member (5) is simultaneously deformed by the upper die (10) to secure the bridge member (5) into the nut bridge window (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsunori Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10677327
    Abstract: In a toroidal continuously variable transmission including at least one transmission unit including: an input disc and an output disc disposed coaxially; and a power roller tiltably interposed between the input disc and the output disc and configured to transmit a driving force from the input disc to the output disc, an integrally rotating member disposed so as to be spaced apart in an axial direction from at least one disc of the input disc and the output disc of each transmission unit and configured to rotate together with the at least one disc, and an annular interposed member provided between the at least one disc and the integrally rotating member and configured to rotate together with the at least one disc, are provided, and the interposed member is formed with a balance adjustment portion capable of adjusting weight balance in a circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihito Abe, Kenichiro Tanaka, Hideyuki Imai, Tatsuhiko Goi, Isao Fujii
  • Patent number: 10670138
    Abstract: A vehicle drive device that includes a case forming a first accommodating space that accommodates a speed change device and a second accommodating space that accommodates a rotary electric machine; an storage that is disposed under the first accommodating space and stores oil; a hydraulic pump including a suction that suctions the oil from the oil storage; a first oil passage that supplies the oil discharged by the hydraulic pump to the speed change device as hydraulic oil; a second oil passage that supplies the oil discharged by the hydraulic pump to the rotary electric machine as cooling oil; and a third oil passage that returns the oil supplied to the rotary electric machine, from the second accommodating space to the oil storage, by allowing the oil to flow in a direction from the second accommodating space toward the first accommodating space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignees: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junji Matsushita, Naoya Usami, Takeshi Horie, Kuniaki Ishii, Kazuyuki Shiiba, Tooru Matsubara, Atsushi Kawamoto, Kiyonori Takagi, Hidehiko Bansyoya
  • Patent number: 10670123
    Abstract: A power transmission system for a vehicle and a vehicle including the same are provided. The power transmission system includes an engine unit configured to generate power, a transmission unit adapted to selectively be coupled with the engine unit, and configured to transmit the power generated by the engine unit, a first motor generator coupled with the transmission unit, an output unit configured to transmit the power output by the transmission unit to at least one of front and rear wheels of the vehicle, and a second motor generator configured to drive the at least one of the front and rear wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: BYD COMPANY LIMITED
    Inventors: Dongsheng Yang, Yubo Lian, Jintao Zhang, Hongbin Luo
  • Patent number: 10655722
    Abstract: Gear mechanism, in particular coaxial gear mechanism or linear gear mechanism, having a toothing system, a tooth carrier with radially oriented guides, teeth which are received in the guides for engagement with the toothing system, the teeth being mounted in the guides such that they can be displaced radially relative to the tooth carrier in the direction of their longitudinal axis, a cam disk for radially driving the teeth, the tooth carrier comprising a first tooth carrier part and a second tooth carrier part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Wittenstein SE
    Inventors: Wilhelm Dorner, Michael Lesch, Andreas Kümmeth, Frank Michel, Heiko Schreiber, Thomas Wilhelm
  • Patent number: 10655713
    Abstract: A device has a pivot lever which has a first pivot arm, a second pivot arm and a joint connecting the two pivot arms to one another, wherein the two pivot arms have opposite end faces, and each end face is divided by the joint into two sections which are oriented at an obtuse angle relative to one another. The device enables a direction-dependent transmission of torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Osman Guerbuez
  • Patent number: 10655721
    Abstract: An internal contact part of a wave generator of a strain wave gearing, a contact part between an externally toothed gear and the wave generator, and tooth surface parts are lubricated by a lubricating fine powder. When the strain wave gearing is in operation, the lubricating fine powder is supplied to the internal contact part and the contact part by a first powder guide that rotates integrally with the wave generator. Having passed through these sections, the lubricating fine powder is supplied to the tooth surface parts by a second powder guide that rotates integrally with the wave generator. Each component part can be reliably lubricated regardless of the orientation of the strain wave gearing during operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Masaru Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10641359
    Abstract: A transmission includes: a pre-engaging mechanism including a plurality of pre-engaging gear pairs engaged with a second input shaft, a first countershaft, and a second countershaft so that the pre-engaging gear pairs are appropriately selected by a clutch unit; a synchro-engaging mechanism including a plurality of synchro-engaging gear pairs engaged with a third input shaft, the first countershaft, and the second countershaft so that the synchro-engaging gear pairs are appropriately selected by a clutch unit; a one-way clutch positioned on a corresponding power transmission path so that power transmitted through the first input shaft from the engine is transmitted only to the third input shaft; and a main shifting mechanism including a plurality of main gear pairs engaged with the first countershaft, the second countershaft, and an output shaft so that the main gear pairs are appropriately selected by a clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: Soon Ki Eo, Woo Churl Son, Ma Ru Kang
  • Patent number: 10641382
    Abstract: A shift control device for an automatic transmission comprises a shift control member configured for manipulation by an operator to control a shift mechanism of a vehicle transmission, and an artificial feel mechanism coupled to the shift control member for providing tactile feedback. The artificial feel mechanism comprises a sensor, a controller, and a piezoelectric element. The sensor is configured for detecting a position of the shift mechanism and sending a signal that is indicative of the position. The controller is configured for receiving the signal, determining a control voltage, and providing the control voltage to the piezoelectric element. The piezoelectric element is configured and arranged so as to receive the control voltage and to apply a mechanical force that depends upon the control voltage and that is configured and applied so as to mechanically resist movement of the shift control member relative to the shift control bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Steering Solutions IP Holding Corporation
    Inventors: Michael C. Vermeersch, Arthur W. Nellett, Ravi Ravindra
  • Patent number: 10634231
    Abstract: Gears are known to have a whine that can be unpleasant to operators or occupants of vehicles. A gear set is disclosed in which the pressure angle of the teeth varies along the periphery of the gear. A mating gear also has teeth with varying pressure angle. The teeth that mate have an identical pressure angle so that present disclosure is applicable only to 1:1 or integer ratio gears: 2:1, 3:1, etc. Because the teeth meet differently as a function of the pressure angle, the fundamental vibration frequency is not reinforced as would be the case with all teeth having the same pressure angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammad Ali Moetakef, Abdelkrim Zouani
  • Patent number: 10626954
    Abstract: A transmission includes a transmission housing, six coplanar gear sets, a transmission input member, an output member, and three synchronizer assemblies. The three synchronizer assemblies are selectively engaged to establish one of at least six forward speed ratios and one reverse speed ratio between the transmission input shaft member and the output member. A structural transmission cover supports the input and output members on one end and encloses two of the six coplanar gear sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Cleber Augusto Celli
  • Patent number: 10618551
    Abstract: A steering mechanism having a piezoelectric element to adjust component clearance and preload based on steering inputs, road inputs, and time in service. The piezoelectric element positioned in the steering mechanism for electric adjustment so that the clearance and preload can be adjusted electrically in response to steering inputs, road inputs, and time in service. This arrangement allows for low preload and low friction when the vehicle is being driven over smooth road conditions. When a rough road condition is detected both clearance and preload can be electrically increased to minimize noise. The disclosed inventive concept may find application in a variety of steering mechanisms to minimize or eliminate NVH when the vehicle is driven over rough surfaces. Without limitation, the piezoelectric element may be provided in rack and pinion electric power assisted steering systems or in worm and wheel (steering column) electric power assisted steering systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy Gerard Offerle, Michael Puleri
  • Patent number: 10619720
    Abstract: A transmission for a vehicle has a main shaft and a counter shaft, which are supported in a transmission case by bearings. Gears on the main shaft and gears on the counter shaft include: shifter gears which are not rotatable but axially movable relative to the shaft, and fixed gears which are rotatable but not axially movable relative to the shaft. Dog clutches are provided between the shifter gears and the fixed gears, and outer races of the bearings supporting the main and counter shafts are affixed to the transmission case. Vibration-absorbing elastic members are pressed against the outer races from axially outside and are set to have a volume of 50% or more of the volume of the outer races. With such configuration, the vibration of the bearings supporting both the main and counter shafts of the transmission is attenuated, and striking noise caused by shifting is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Fujimoto, Kinya Mizuno, Hiroyuki Makita, Masashi Koyanagi