Patents by Inventor Alan P. Zajac

Alan P. Zajac has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6238317
    Abstract: A transmission for a four-wheel drive vehicle having a multi-speed geartrain and power transfer mechanism incorporated into a common housing assembly. The multi-speed geartrain includes a input shaft, a mainshaft, and a plurality of constant-mesh gearsets arranged for selectively coupling the mainshaft to the input shaft for driven rotation at various speed ratios. The mainshaft can be selectively coupled to the power transfer mechanism for establishing two alternative power transmission routes. In particular, a range shift mechanism is provided for establishing a high-range power transmission route and a low-range power transmission route from the mainshaft to the input of an interaxle differential. The torque delivered to the interaxle differential is split between the front and rear drivelines to establish a full-time four-wheel drive mode. A transfer clutch is provided for automatically controlling slip and torque biasing between the outputs of the interaxle differential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: New Venture Gear, Inc.
    Inventors: David Brown, Alan P. Zajac
  • Patent number: 6142905
    Abstract: A transmission for a four-wheel drive vehicle having a multi-speed geartrain and power transfer mechanism incorporated into a common housing assembly. The multi-speed geartrain includes a input shaft, a mainshaft, and a plurality of constant-mesh gearsets arranged for selectively coupling the mainshaft to the input shaft for driven rotation at various speed ratios. The mainshaft can be selectively coupled to the power transfer mechanism for establishing two alternative power transmission routes. In particular, a range shift mechanism is provided for establishing a high-range power transmission route and a low-range power transmission route from the mainshaft to the input of an interaxle differential. The torque delivered to the interaxle differential is split between the front and rear drivelines to establish a full-time four-wheel drive mode. A transfer clutch is provided for automatically controlling slip and torque biasing between the outputs of the interaxle differential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: New Venture Gear, Inc.
    Inventors: David Brown, Alan P. Zajac
  • Patent number: 6067870
    Abstract: A compact six-speed fully-synchronized manual transaxle includes an input shaft having four fixed input gears, a first intermediate shaft rotatably supporting four speed gears meshing with four of the input gears, a second intermediate shaft rotatably supporting two speed gears meshed with two of the input gears and a reverse gear meshed with a speed gear on the first intermediate shaft, and a differential. A transfer gear on each intermediate shaft is meshed with a final drive gear fixed to the differential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: New Venture Gear, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Fleishman, K. K. Natarajan, Robert S. Hatton, Alan P. Zajac, David Wenthen, Lee B. Arnold
  • Patent number: 5989146
    Abstract: A transmission for a four-wheel drive vehicle having a multi-speed geartrain and power transfer mechanism incorporated into a common housing assembly. The multi-speed geartrain includes a input shaft, a mainshaft, and a plurality of constant-mesh gearsets arranged for selectively coupling the mainshaft to the input shaft for driven rotation at various speed ratios. The mainshaft can be selectively coupled to the power transfer mechanism for establishing two alternative power transmission routes. In particular, a synchronized range shift mechanism is provided for establishing a high-range transmission route and a low-range transmission route from the mainshaft to a primary driveline to define a two-wheel drive mode. A portion of the drive torque delivered to the primary driveline can be transferred automatically through a transfer clutch to the secondary driveline to establish an on-demand four-wheel drive mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: New Venture Gear, Inc.
    Inventors: David Brown, Alan P. Zajac
  • Patent number: 5904632
    Abstract: A transmission for a four-wheel drive vehicle having a multi-speed geartrain and power transfer mechanism incorporated into a common housing assembly. The multi-speed geartrain includes a input shaft, a mainshaft, and a plurality of constant-mesh gearsets arranged for selectively coupling the mainshaft to the input shaft for driven rotation at various speed ratios. The mainshaft can be selectively coupled to the power transfer mechanism for establishing two alternative power transmission routes. In particular, a synchronized range shift mechanism is provided for establishing a high-range transmission route and a low-range transmission route from the mainshaft to the input of an interaxle differential. The torque delivered to the interaxle differential is split between the front and rear drivelines to establish a full-time four-wheel drive mode. As an option, a lock-out clutch can be provided for permitting the interaxle differential to be locked for establishing a locked four-wheel drive mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: New Venture Gear, Inc.
    Inventors: David Brown, Alan P. Zajac
  • Patent number: 5743348
    Abstract: A power transfer system including a variable speed electric motor and a single speed transmission is disclosed for transferring power from a source of power to a pair of driven wheels. This arrangement is particularly adapted for use in electric vehicles incorporating a high speed electric motor. In a preferred embodiment, the single speed transmission includes a housing, an input shaft for receiving drive torque from the electric motor, at least one output shaft and an intermediate shaft supported for rotation of the housing between the input shaft and the output shaft. The single speed transmission further includes a parking sprag arrangement for preventing rotation of the output shaft when a park mode is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: New Venture Gear, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Coppola, Richard E. Eastman, Ronald J. Mayville, Christopher W. Phelan, Michael S. Tianello, Sr., Alan P. Zajac, Sankar K. Mohan