Patents by Inventor Dengfu Zhang

Dengfu Zhang 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: 20180163790
    Abstract: A clutch for an automatic transmission includes a clutch pack having a first set of friction disks interleaved with a second set of friction disks. The clutch further includes an annulus having an outer surface connected to the first friction disks and an inner surface. The annulus defines oil holes extending from the inner surface to the outer surface to permit oil to flow from the inner surface to the clutch pack. Air passageways are defined in the annulus and extend through the annulus permitting air to flow from the inner surface to the clutch pack to reduce drag losses between the first and second sets of disks. Each of the air passageways have an entrance that is radially inboard of an entrance of each of the oil holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Dengfu ZHANG, David BECK
  • Publication number: 20180106299
    Abstract: According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a clutch pack is provided. The clutch pack includes a first set of clutch plates arranged in an alternating configuration with a second set of clutch plates. The first set of clutch plates has a plurality of friction pads made of friction material and defining channels in the friction material. The channels are configured to allow lubricant to flow between the friction pads. Each of the friction pads defines a groove in the friction pad. The groove is disconnected from the channels. The groove thereby creates a flow induced high pressure region forcing the first set of clutch plates to a center between the second set of clutch plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: DENGFU ZHANG, JAU-WEN TSENG, DAVID BECK
  • Patent number: 9810311
    Abstract: A vehicle axle includes a housing defining a sump, a gear assembly and a baffle. The gear assembly includes a ring gear disposed within the housing. The ring gear is configured to pump fluid throughout the housing. A pinion gear is meshed with the ring gear. The baffle is disposed within the sump and connected to the housing. The baffle has a first part being configured to control fluid flow across the ring gear and a second part attached to the first part. The second part is configured to control fluid flow across the pinion gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dengfu Zhang, Michael Carter, Mark Steward, Marc Thomas Wilkins
  • Publication number: 20170167545
    Abstract: A clutch pack includes a first set of clutch plates and a second set of clutch plates. The first set of clutch plates are arranged in an alternating configuration with the second set of clutch plates. The first set of clutch plates has radially outward extending teeth. The second set of clutch plates has radially inward extending teeth that define channels that are configured to allow air to flow into the clutch pack in an axial direction such that lubrication fluid located between adjacent clutch plates is channeled radially outward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Dengfu ZHANG, Jau-Wen TSENG, Chin-Yuan PERNG
  • Publication number: 20170159657
    Abstract: A sliding vane pump includes a passageway that fluidly connects one or more pumping chambers to a side chamber. The passageway pressurizes the side chamber. This fluid pressure exerts a force that counteracts the force caused by pressure differences between the outlet pumping chambers and the inlet pumping chambers. At high speed, part of the side chamber is pressurized by the smallest volume outlet pumping chamber while another portion of the side chamber is pressurized by the largest volume outlet chamber. This results in a force counteracting an uncommanded displacement decrease of the pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Dengfu Zhang, Robert J. Miller, Derek Kinch, Mark Davis, Akhter Zaman