Patents by Inventor Austin R Gerding
Austin R Gerding 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).
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Patent number: 10065499Abstract: One implementation of a vehicle power transfer unit (PTU) assembly—such as thatfor an automobile—includes an input shaft, a planetary gear set, an intermediate shaft, a ring gear, and an output gear. The planetary gear set includes a sun gear, multiple planet gears, and an annular gear. The sun gear is attached to a housing of the vehicle PTU and does not rotate in use. The planet gears are interconnected to the input shaft and are driven by the input shaft. The annular gear is in turn driven by the planet gears. The intermediate shaft is interconnected to and driven by the annular gear. The ring gear is interconnected to the intermediate shaft, and the output gear is driven by the ring gear.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2014Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: GKN Driveline North America, Inc.Inventor: Austin R. Gerding
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Publication number: 20170151871Abstract: One implementation of a vehicle power transfer unit (PTU) assembly—such as thatfor an automobile—includes an input shaft, a planetary gear set, an intermediate shaft, a ring gear, and an output gear. The planetary gear set includes a sun gear, multiple planet gears, and an annular gear. The sun gear is attached to a housing of the vehicle PTU and does not rotate in use. The planet gears are interconnected to the input shaft and are driven by the input shaft. The annular gear is in turn driven by the planet gears. The intermediate shaft is interconnected to and driven by the annular gear. The ring gear is interconnected to the intermediate shaft, and the output gear is driven by the ring gear.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2014Publication date: June 1, 2017Inventor: Austin R. Gerding
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Patent number: 9649933Abstract: A vehicle power transfer unit (PTU) disconnect assembly can include a first shaft, a second shaft, and a collar assembly. The first shaft has a first split-spline at its exterior surface. The second shaft is telescoped over the first shaft and has a set of splines at its exterior surface. A helical gear is carried by the second shaft. The collar assembly is situated around both of the first and second shafts. The collar assembly has a second split-spline at its interior surface.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2015Date of Patent: May 16, 2017Assignee: GKN DRIVELINE NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Samuel J. Oram, Tony N. Arden, Daniel S. Engerer, Austin R. Gerding, Robert E. Toaso, Rick Ohsiek
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Publication number: 20150321554Abstract: A vehicle power transfer unit (PTU) disconnect assembly can include a first shaft, a second shaft, and a collar assembly. The first shaft has a first split-spline at its exterior surface. The second shaft is telescoped over the first shaft and has a set of splines at its exterior surface. A helical gear is carried by the second shaft. The collar assembly is situated around both of the first and second shafts. The collar assembly has a second split-spline at its interior surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2015Publication date: November 12, 2015Inventors: Samuel J. Oram, Tony N. Arden, Daniel S. Engerer, Austin R. Gerding, Robert E. Toaso, Rick Ohsiek
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Patent number: 9182012Abstract: A power transfer unit for transferring a torque comprising a first shaft configured to receive the torque from a first device, a second shaft configured to output the torque to a second device, and an activating assembly for selectively transferring the torque from the first shaft to the second shaft. The activating assembly includes a sliding cam, a rotating cam, an actuator configured to selectively rotate the rotating cam relative to the sliding cam, and an engaging gear. The gear is configured to be moved by the sliding cam between a first engaged position where the torque is transferred from the first shaft to the second shaft through the gear and a second disengaged position where no torque is transferred to the second shaft. Relative rotation between the rotating earn and the sliding cam moves the sliding earn thereby moving the gear between the first engaged and second disengaged position.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2012Date of Patent: November 10, 2015Assignee: GKN Driveline North America, Inc.Inventors: Bernd Greiss, Austin R. Gerding, Jason Bock
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Patent number: 8864616Abstract: A power transfer unit comprising a first shaft configured to receive an input torque from a first vehicle component, a second shaft configured to selectively receive the torque from the first shaft and transmit the torque to a second vehicle component, an engaging mechanism, a housing configured to enclose at least a portion of the power transfer unit, and a seal system having a first seal and a second seal. The engaging mechanism configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode. When in the first mode, the engaging mechanism selectively couples the second shaft to the first shaft, and when in the second mode, the second shaft is decoupled from the first shaft. The first seal is disposed between the housing and a first end of the second shaft, and the second seal is disposed between the housing and a second end of the second shaft.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2012Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: GKN Driveline North America Inc.Inventors: Bernd Greiss, Austin R. Gerding
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Patent number: 8721493Abstract: A drive train system comprising a power transfer unit configured to selectively transfer power from a front driveshaft of a vehicle by providing an output torque through a ring gear, wherein the power transfer unit includes an input shaft that receives torque from a first device, and a first clutch configured to selectively couple the input shaft to the ring gear when activated; a cardan shaft in rotational communication with the ring gear and configured to transfer the output torque; and a rear drive unit coupled to the cardan shaft and configured to selectively transfer the output torque received from the cardan shaft to a rear driveshaft of the vehicle, wherein the rear drive unit includes a torque shaft that is driven by the output torque received from the cardan shaft, and a second clutch that is configured to selectively transfer the output torque from the torque shaft to the rear driveshaft when activated.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2011Date of Patent: May 13, 2014Assignee: GKN Driveline Newton, LLCInventors: Martin Burgbacher, Bahman Haghshanas, Bernd Greiss, Austin R. Gerding
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Publication number: 20140021005Abstract: A power transfer unit comprising a first shaft configured to receive an input torque from a first vehicle component, a second shaft configured to selectively receive the torque from the first shaft and transmit the torque to a second vehicle component, an engaging mechanism, a housing configured to enclose at least a portion of the power transfer unit, and a seal system having a first seal and a second seal. The engaging mechanism configured to operate in a first mode and a second mode. When in the first mode, the engaging mechanism selectively couples the second shaft to the first shaft, and when in the second mode, the second shaft is de coupled from the first shaft. The first seal is disposed between the housing and a first end of the second shaft, and the second seal is disposed between the housing and a second end of the second shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2012Publication date: January 23, 2014Applicant: GKN Driveline Newton, LLCInventors: Bernd Greiss, Austin R. Gerding
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Publication number: 20140020490Abstract: A power transfer unit for transferring a torque comprising a first shaft configured to receive the torque from a first device, a second shaft configured to output the torque to a second device, and an activating assembly for selectively transferring the torque from the first shaft to the second shaft. The activating assembly includes a sliding cam, a rotating cam, an actuator configured to selectively rotate the rotating cam relative to the sliding cam, and an engaging gear. The gear is configured to be moved by the sliding cam between a first engaged position where the torque is transferred from the first shaft to the second shaft through the gear and a second disengaged position where no torque is transferred to the second shaft. Relative rotation between the rotating earn and the sliding cam moves the sliding earn thereby moving the gear between the first engaged and second disengaged position.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2012Publication date: January 23, 2014Applicant: GKN DRIVELINE NEWTON, LLCInventors: Bernd Greiss, Austin R. Gerding, Jason Bock
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Publication number: 20110256976Abstract: A drive train system comprising a power transfer unit configured to selectively transfer power from a front driveshaft of a vehicle by providing an output torque through a ring gear, wherein the power transfer unit includes an input shaft that receives torque from a first device, and a first clutch configured to selectively couple the input shaft to the ring gear when activated; a cardan shaft in rotational communication with the ring gear and configured to transfer the output torque; and a rear drive unit coupled to the cardan shaft and configured to selectively transfer the output torque received from the cardan shaft to a rear driveshaft of the vehicle, wherein the rear drive unit includes a torque shaft that is driven by the output torque received from the cardan shaft, and a second clutch that is configured to selectively transfer the output torque from the torque shaft to the rear driveshaft when activated.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2011Publication date: October 20, 2011Inventors: Martin Burgbacher, Bahman Haghshanas, Bernd Greiss, Austin R. Gerding
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Patent number: 7774911Abstract: A method for attenuating vibration in a driveline having a shaft assembly that transmits torque between first and second driveline components. The shaft assembly can have a hollow shaft member and at least one liner. The liner has a mass and a stiffness that are tuned such that the liner is a tuned resistive absorber for attenuating shell mode vibrations as well as at least one of a tuned reactive absorber for attenuating bending mode vibrations and a tuned reactive absorber for attenuating torsion mode vibrations. The tuned liner is inserted into the shaft member.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2006Date of Patent: August 17, 2010Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: Zhaohui Sun, David P Schankin, Dumitru F Patrascu, Austin R Gerding
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Patent number: 7445558Abstract: A drivetrain that includes a drivetrain component, a flange structure, a yoke flange, a female guide portion and a male guide portion. The drivetrain component has a shaft that is rotatable about an axis. The flange structure is fixedly but removably coupled to the shaft. The female guide portion is directly coupled to one of the shaft and the yoke flange. The male guide portion is directly coupled to the other one of the shaft and the yoke flange. The male guide portion engages the female guide portion to thereby align the yoke flange to the axis. The yoke flange and the flange structure are fixedly but removably coupled to one another. A method of fabricating a drivetrain is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2006Date of Patent: November 4, 2008Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.Inventors: Austin R Gerding, Salvatore N Grupido, Marc M Menosky, Thomas J Oldenburg