Patents by Inventor Benjamin Rupley

Benjamin Rupley 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: 11408504
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a vehicle includes a transmission, a brake pedal, and a controller. The controller is programmed to, in response to an upshift of the transmission, a driver-demanded torque being zero, and the brake pedal being released, command a first pressure, that is greater than zero, to an oncoming shift element associated with the upshift such that the oncoming shift element has a torque capacity of zero, in response to the brake pedal being applied during the upshift of the transmission, command a second, larger pressure to the oncoming shift element to increase the torque capacity to a non-zero value, and, in response to expiration of a threshold time from the brake pedal being applied, command a series of sequentially ramping pressures to the oncoming shift element to further increase the torque capacity and lock the oncoming shift element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mehran Namazkar, Stephen Michael Cicala, Cory Benson LaRoche, Benjamin Rupley, Spencer Johnson
  • Patent number: 10704676
    Abstract: A transmission assembly including a clutch system, an accumulator, and a controller is provided. The clutch system may include a flow source. The accumulator may be selectively in communication with the flow source via a solenoid valve. The controller may be programmed to, responsive to detection of a vehicle stop and the accumulator charged below a predetermined threshold, output a command to open the solenoid valve to rapidly charge the accumulator from the flow source. The predetermined threshold may be an accumulator pressure between 700 kPa and 900 kPa. The controller may be further programmed to, responsive to detection of the accumulator being charged to or above the predetermined threshold, output a shut down command to an engine in communication with the transmission assembly and to output a close command to the solenoid valve. The flow source may be a pump out circuit or a line pressure circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Scott Slayton, Patrick Heikka, Mark Davis, Hafiz Shafeek Khafagy, Benjamin Rupley
  • Patent number: 10704615
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a transmission, and a controller. The transmission has clutches, a circuit configured to transport fluid to the clutches, a pump configured to circulate the fluid through the circuit, and an accumulator disposed along the circuit. The controller is programmed to, responsive to an engine start and a fluid temperature being less than a temperature threshold, discharge the accumulator to prime the pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Scott Joseph Gittins, Timothy Fedullo, Samuel Melville Glauber, Andrew James Myrna, Benjamin Rupley, Ryan Eggebrecht
  • Publication number: 20200063805
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an engine, a transmission, and a controller. The transmission has clutches, a circuit configured to transport fluid to the clutches, a pump configured to circulate the fluid through the circuit, and an accumulator disposed along the circuit. The controller is programmed to, responsive to an engine start and a fluid temperature being less than a temperature threshold, discharge the accumulator to prime the pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Scott Joseph GITTINS, Timothy FEDULLO, Samuel Melville GLAUBER, Andrew James MYRNA, Benjamin RUPLEY, Ryan EGGEBRECHT
  • Publication number: 20200032897
    Abstract: A transmission assembly including a clutch system, an accumulator, and a controller is provided. The clutch system may include a flow source. The accumulator may be selectively in communication with the flow source via a solenoid valve. The controller may be programmed to, responsive to detection of a vehicle stop and the accumulator charged below a predetermined threshold, output a command to open the solenoid valve to rapidly charge the accumulator from the flow source. The predetermined threshold may be an accumulator pressure between 700 kPa and 900 kPa. The controller may be further programmed to, responsive to detection of the accumulator being charged to or above the predetermined threshold, output a shut down command to an engine in communication with the transmission assembly and to output a close command to the solenoid valve. The flow source may be a pump out circuit or a line pressure circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Scott Slayton, Patrick Heikka, Mark Davis, Hafiz Shafeek Khafagy, Benjamin Rupley