Patents by Inventor Bob Roethler

Bob Roethler 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: 7238139
    Abstract: A powertrain for transmitting power to a driven wheel of a motor vehicle includes a power source that includes a reversible electric machine. A first transmission includes an input driveably connected to the power source, a first output, and a mechanism for producing a stepless variable range of ratios of a speed of the output to a speed of the input. An epicyclic transmission includes a second input driveably connected to the power source, a third input driveably connected to the first output, and a second output driveably connected to a drive wheel. The transmissions produce a range of speed of the drive wheel that varies from negative to positive and includes zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bob Roethler, Michael Berhan
  • Patent number: 7100723
    Abstract: A system for a hydraulically driven vehicle includes a pump producing fluid flow at an outlet, pump-motors having variable flow rates for driving the wheels, a hydraulic rail having a pressure and connecting the pump and the pump-motors, sensors producing signals representing rail pressure, pump-motor speed, pump-motor displacement, and a controller for determining a target hydraulic system parameter, determining, based at least in part on the flow rate of the pump-motor, rail pressure, and a flow rate produced by the engine-pump, a flow rate produced by the engine-pump that is required to produce the target system parameter, and adjusting an engine operating parameter of a cylinder-pump bank such that the demanded magnitude of the system parameter is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bob Roethler, Ron Kepner, Robert Lippert
  • Publication number: 20060148609
    Abstract: A powertrain for transmitting power to a driven wheel of a motor vehicle includes a power source that includes a reversible electric machine. A first transmission includes an input driveably connected to the power source, a first output, and a mechanism for producing a stepless variable range of ratios of a speed of the output to a speed of the input. An epicyclic transmission includes a second input driveably connected to the power source, a third input driveably connected to the first output, and a second output driveably connected to a drive wheel. The transmissions produce a range of speed of the drive wheel that varies from negative to positive and includes zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Inventors: Bob Roethler, Michael Berhan
  • Publication number: 20060145482
    Abstract: A powertrain for transmitting power in a vehicle includes a prime mover having a relatively slow transient response, and a storage device for storing energy in a predetermined form. A transmission includes an input driveably connected to the prime mover and an output driveably connected to vehicle drive wheels, producing a range of ratios of a speed of the output to a speed of the input that varies from negative to positive and includes zero. An energy conversion device, driveably connected to the prime mover and drive wheels, converts rotational power transmitted to the energy conversion device from the wheels and the prime mover to a form of energy that can be stored in the storage device, and drives the wheels using energy supplied to the energy conversion device from the storage device. A control device alternately transmits energy from the storage device to the energy conversion device, and transmits energy from the energy conversion device to the storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Publication date: July 6, 2006
    Inventors: Bob Roethler, Cliff Carlson, Robert Lippert, Ron Kepner, John Brevick
  • Publication number: 20050167177
    Abstract: A system for a hydraulically driven vehicle includes a pump producing fluid flow at an outlet, pump-motors having variable flow rates for driving the wheels, a hydraulic rail having a pressure and connecting the pump and the pump-motors, sensors producing signals representing rail pressure, pump-motor speed, pump-motor displacement, and a controller for determining a target hydraulic system parameter, determining, based at least in part on the flow rate of the pump-motor, rail pressure, and a flow rate produced by the engine-pump, a flow rate produced by the engine-pump that is required to produce the target system parameter, and adjusting an engine operating parameter of a cylinder-pump bank such that the demanded magnitude of the system parameter is produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2004
    Publication date: August 4, 2005
    Inventors: Bob Roethler, Ron Kepner, Robert Lippert