Patents by Inventor Christa S. BANKS

Christa S. BANKS 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).

  • Power transfer unit pinion shaft and propeller shaft coupling member for a vehicle, and methods of use and manufacture thereof
    Patent number: 10315515
    Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a pinion shaft assembly of a power transfer unit for transferring torque from an output gear of a transmission to a driveline structure of a vehicle. The embodiments include a hollow shaft that includes an internal splined portion, a pinion gear connected to a first end of the hollow shaft, and a coupling member that includes a flange and a coupling extension extending from the flange. The coupling extension includes an external splined portion at a first end such that the coupling extension mounts coaxially within the hollow shaft. The internal splined portion of the hollow shaft meshes with the external spline portion of the coupling extension in a spline connection for coupled rotation of the hollow shaft and the coupling extension, and the flange is disposed external to the hollow shaft and configured to be connected to the driveline structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasushi Onuma, Shintaro Yokota, Matthew R. Scott, William J. Clark, Christa S Banks, Takahiro Nozaki
  • POWER TRANSFER UNIT PINION SHAFT AND PROPELLER SHAFT COUPLING MEMBER FOR A VEHICLE, AND METHODS OF USE AND MANUFACTURE THEREOF
    Publication number: 20180037109
    Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a pinion shaft assembly of a power transfer unit for transferring torque from an output gear of a transmission to a driveline structure of a vehicle. The embodiments include a hollow shaft that includes an internal splined portion, a pinion gear connected to a first end of the hollow shaft, and a coupling member that includes a flange and a coupling extension extending from the flange. The coupling extension includes an external splined portion at a first end such that the coupling extension mounts coaxially within the hollow shaft. The internal splined portion of the hollow shaft meshes with the external spline portion of the coupling extension in a spline connection for coupled rotation of the hollow shaft and the coupling extension, and the flange is disposed external to the hollow shaft and configured to be connected to the driveline structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Publication date: February 8, 2018
    Inventors: Yasushi ONUMA, Shintaro YOKOTA, Matthew R. SCOTT, William J. CLARK, Christa S. BANKS, Takahiro NOZAKI