Patents by Inventor Blair Swanson

Blair Swanson 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).

  • Axle assembly with sensor mount
    Publication number: 20070145815
    Abstract: A vehicle axle assembly having an axle housing, an axle shaft and a sensor. The axle housing has a tubular portion. A flat is formed on an annular wall of the tubular portion proximate a distal end of the tubular portion. A hole, which intersects the flat, is formed through the tubular portion. The axle shaft can have an integrally formed target portion that includes a plurality of teeth. The sensor is mounted in the hole and abuts the flat to space a tip of the sensor apart from the teeth of the target portion by a predetermined distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Applicant: American Axle & Manufacturing. Inc.
    Inventor: Blair Swanson
  • Axle housing assembly and method
    Publication number: 20060152070
    Abstract: An axle housing assembly includes a cast iron tube having a pocket that is formed proximate a first end of the cast iron tube. The pocket is disposed generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the cast iron tube. The axle housing assembly also includes an insert made of steel connected to the pocket. The steel insert permits the cast iron tube to be coupled to a cast iron carrier housing by welding steel plugs positioned in the carrier housing to the steel inserts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2005
    Publication date: July 13, 2006
    Inventors: Stephen Doud, Blair Swanson, Jeffrey Rea
  • Beam axle with integral sensor mount and target
    Publication number: 20050206222
    Abstract: A vehicle axle assembly having an axle housing, an axle shaft and a sensor. The axle housing has a tubular portion. A flat is formed on an annular wall of the tubular portion proximate a distal end of the tubular portion. A hole, which intersects the flat, is formed through the tubular portion. The axle shaft can have an integrally formed target portion that includes a plurality of teeth. The sensor is mounted in the hole and abuts the flat to space a tip of the sensor apart from the teeth of the target portion by a predetermined distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Inventor: Blair Swanson
  • Axle shaft assembly
    Publication number: 20050088037
    Abstract: An axle shaft assembly for a motor vehicle has a bearing unit, an axle shaft, and a bearing retainer. The axle shaft is supported within the wheel bearing unit. The axle shaft has an outer diameter. The bearing retainer is mounted on the axle shaft and abuts the wheel bearing unit. The bearing retainer has a piloting feature for aligning the bearing retainer with respect to the axle shaft. The piloting feature includes a pilot surface with an inner diameter approximately equal to the outer diameter of the axle shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Publication date: April 28, 2005
    Inventors: Kevin Beutler, Blair Swanson, Jeffrey Rea, Robert Dunn