Patents by Inventor Brian SCHNEIDEWIND

Brian SCHNEIDEWIND 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).

  • Publication number: 20240180308
    Abstract: A wheeled luggage item includes a base defining an interior cavity, and a liner structured to partition the interior cavity into a first portion and a second portion physically isolated from the first portion. Personal luggage items may be stored in the cavity first portion. First and second wheels are rotatably coupled to the base so as to be movable between stowed positions in the cavity second portion and deployed positions outside the base, to enable a riding mode of the luggage item. Steering levers are rotatably deployable to operably connect to the first wheel, enabling the first wheel to be steered by a user riding the luggage item in the riding mode. To propel the luggage item in the riding mode, a battery in the interior cavity may power an in-wheel motor operably connected to the second wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2022
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Corey Zwegers, Adam R. VanAntwerp, Brian Schneidewind, Bradley Steven Baskin
  • Patent number: 11724585
    Abstract: A hybrid drive train includes a first electric motor, a nested power splitting planetary gear set having a first carrier element and a second carrier element, an inner sun gear coupled with the first electric motor and an outer sun gear coupled with an output shaft. A first selectable one-way clutch controls the first and the second carrier element, and switches between operation as a one way clutch and operation as a brake. A second selectable one-way clutch controls a ring gear of the nested planetary gear set, and switches between operation as a one way clutch and operation as a brake. The extra outer planetary gear set improves lowing capacity at higher speeds without substantially increasing the axial length of the power split device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Brian Schneidewind, Nicholas Vernon, Geoffrey D. Gaither
  • Patent number: 11621461
    Abstract: A battery pack assembly includes a plurality of battery cells and a pair of elongated connector terminal plates. Each battery cell has a terminal side and an opposite floor side. A pair of terminals extend from each of the plurality of battery cells on the terminal side. Each of the pair of elongated connector terminal plates includes an upper and a lower elongated terminal connector. The upper and lower elongated terminal connector plates of each of the pair of elongated connector terminal plates are configured to independently move between an aligned position and an engaged position such that in the engaged position the pair of elongated connector terminal plates retain the plurality of battery cells and in the aligned position the pair of elongated connector terminal plates are removed from the battery pack releasing the plurality of battery cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Geoffrey D. Gaither, Brian Schneidewind
  • Patent number: 11509010
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to a battery pack assembly. The battery pack assembly includes a plurality of housing segments and a plurality of battery cells. The plurality of housing segments are coupled to one another. Each one of the plurality of housing segments includes a terminal receiving portion. The terminal receiving portion has a pair of end walls, a pair of side walls and a floor. A terminal connector is positioned within the terminal receiving portion. The terminal connector has a pair of openings. Each battery cell of the plurality of battery cells has a terminal side. A pair of terminals are positioned on the terminal side of each of the plurality of battery cells. Each one of the plurality of housing segments are configured to be rotated with respect to an adjacent housing segment between a use position and a maintenance position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jordan S. Guttrich, Brian Schneidewind, Douglas A. Siewert, Lincoln Morfin
  • Publication number: 20220258592
    Abstract: A hybrid drive train includes a first electric motor, a nested power splitting planetary gear set having a first carrier element and a second carrier element, an inner sun gear coupled with the first electric motor and an outer sun gear coupled with an output shaft. A first selectable one-way clutch controls the first and the second carrier element, and switches between operation as a one way clutch and operation as a brake. A second selectable one-way clutch controls a ring gear of the nested planetary gear set, and switches between operation as a one way clutch and operation as a brake. The extra outer planetary gear set improves lowing capacity at higher speeds without substantially increasing the axial length of the power split device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Brian SCHNEIDEWIND, Nicholas VERNON, Geoffrey D. GAITHER
  • Patent number: 11364787
    Abstract: A hybrid drive train includes a first electric motor, a nested power splitting planetary gear set having a first carrier element and a second carrier element, an inner sun gear coupled with the first electric motor and an outer sun gear coupled with an output shaft. A first selectable one-way clutch controls the first and the second carrier element, and switches between operation as a one way clutch and operation as a brake. A second selectable one-way clutch controls a ring gear of the nested planetary gear set, and switches between operation as a one way clutch and operation as a brake. The extra outer planetary gear set improves towing capacity at higher speeds without substantially increasing the axial length of the power split device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Brian Schneidewind, Nicholas Vernon, Geoffrey D. Gaither
  • Publication number: 20210242439
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to a battery pack assembly. The battery pack assembly includes a plurality of housing segments and a plurality of battery cells. The plurality of housing segments are coupled to one another. Each one of the plurality of housing segments includes a terminal receiving portion. The terminal receiving portion has a pair of end walls, a pair of side walls and a floor. A terminal connector is positioned within the terminal receiving portion. The terminal connector has a pair of openings. Each battery cell of the plurality of battery cells has a terminal side. A pair of terminals are positioned on the terminal side of each of the plurality of battery cells. Each one of the plurality of housing segments are configured to be rotated with respect to an adjacent housing segment between a use position and a maintenance position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Publication date: August 5, 2021
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Jordan S. Guttrich, Brian Schneidewind, Douglas A. Siewert, Lincoln Morfin
  • Publication number: 20210234143
    Abstract: A battery pack assembly includes a plurality of battery cells and a pair of elongated connector terminal plates. Each battery cell has a terminal side and an opposite floor side. A pair of terminals extend from each of the plurality of battery cells on the terminal side. Each of the pair of elongated connector terminal plates includes an upper and a lower elongated terminal connector. The upper and lower elongated terminal connector plates of each of the pair of elongated connector terminal plates are configured to independently move between an aligned position and an engaged position such that in the engaged position the pair of elongated connector terminal plates retain the plurality of battery cells and in the aligned position the pair of elongated connector terminal plates are removed from the battery pack releasing the plurality of battery cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Geoffrey D. Gaither, Brian Schneidewind
  • Publication number: 20210086607
    Abstract: A hybrid drive train includes a first electric motor, a nested power splitting planetary gear set having a first carrier element and a second carrier element, an inner sun gear coupled with the first electric motor and an outer sun gear coupled with an output shaft. A first selectable one-way clutch controls the first and the second carrier element, and switches between operation as a one way clutch and operation as a brake. A second selectable one-way clutch controls a ring gear of the nested planetary gear set, and switches between operation as a one way clutch and operation as a brake. The extra outer planetary gear set improves towing capacity at higher speeds without substantially increasing the axial length of the power split device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Brian SCHNEIDEWIND, Nicholas Vernon, Geoffrey D. Gaither