Patents by Inventor Franco Cimatti

Franco Cimatti 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: 20240066916
    Abstract: The invention refers to a wheel for a vehicle, the wheel being rotatable around a rotation axis and comprising: a seating space for a brake disk extending around the rotation axis; a wheel rim having a rim well, the wheel rim extending around the seating space and the rotation axis, wherein the rim well protrudes from the wheel rim towards the rotation axis; and at least one spoke being connected to the wheel rim, the at least one spoke being arranged at an outward side of the wheel and extending at least in part radially to the rotation axis; wherein, along the rotation axis, the seating space is arranged closer to the outward side than the rim well. The invention improves the air flow in the vicinity of the wheel to reduce aerodynamic drag and lifting forces on the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Franco Cimatti, Ehab Fares
  • Publication number: 20240010266
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a steering system comprising a steering wheel mechanically attached to a steering wheel hub by fixing elements; a steering system support column, wherein the steering wheel hub is rotatably mounted on the steering system support column, so that the steering wheel and the steering wheel hub are rotatable); a torque feedback device including an electric machine having an outer rotor and an inner stator with stator windings, the outer rotor being attached to the steering wheel hub so as to be rotatable with the steering wheel hub, and the stator being non-rotatably fixed to the steering system support column; wherein, with respect to the axis of rotation, the fixing elements are arranged at different radial positions than the stator windings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventor: Franco CIMATTI
  • Publication number: 20230331291
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a steering system comprising a steering wheel rotation limiting device being arranged radially offset to the steering wheel hub and comprising a base being fixed to the or another non-rotatable component of the steering system, the base comprising two opposing end stop surfaces and comprising a sliding element being axially slidable parallel to the axis of rotation relative to the base and relative to the steering wheel hub between the two opposing end stop surfaces. The sliding element comprises a projection that engages a spiral groove formed on a circumferential surface of the steering wheel hub so that rotation of the steering wheel hub causes axial movement of the sliding element, and so that abutment of the sliding element with one of the two end stop surfaces blocks movement of the sliding element and rotation of the steering wheel hub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventor: Franco CIMATTI
  • Publication number: 20230322291
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a steering system comprising a rotatable steering wheel hub; a torque feedback device including an electric machine having a rotor and a stator, the rotor being attached to the steering wheel hub, and the stator being fixed to a non-rotatable component of the steering system; a steering system support column including an off-axis section having a first longitudinal axis that is off-set to an axis of rotation and including an aligned section having a second longitudinal axis that corresponds to the axis of rotation. The steering wheel hub is rotatably mounted on the aligned section and axially spaced from the off-axis section. A steering wheel rotation limiting device is attached to the off-axis section and engaging the steering wheel hub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Inventor: Franco CIMATTI
  • Publication number: 20230303152
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a steering system comprising a rotatable steering wheel hub; a steering system support column including an off-axis section and an aligned section that are connected by a connection portion. The steering wheel hub is rotatably mounted on the aligned section, while the off-axis section is axially spaced from the steering wheel hub. The steering system comprises a torque feedback device including an electric machine having a rotor and a stator, the rotor being attached to the steering wheel hub so as to be rotatable with the steering wheel hub about the axis of rotation, and the stator being non-rotatably fixed to the aligned section of the steering system support column.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventor: Franco CIMATTI
  • Publication number: 20230135265
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a rear suspension system for a rear wheel of a vehicle and to a vehicle having such a rear suspension system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventor: Franco Cimatti
  • Patent number: 11027768
    Abstract: A steering system for a road vehicle; the steering system comprises: a steering wheel provided with an outer ring, which is mounted so as to rotate around a rotation axis and has no connection to steering wheels; a position sensor, which is designed to detect the angular position of the outer ring of the steering wheel around the rotation axis; and a mechanical limit stop device, which is coupled to the outer ring of the steering wheel and limits, in both directions, the maximum angular width of the rotation of the steering wheel around the rotation axis, so that the steering wheel can make, on the whole, a rotation around the rotation axis that is greater than 360°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: FERRARI S.P.A.
    Inventor: Franco Cimatti
  • Patent number: 11027770
    Abstract: A steering system for a road vehicle; the steering system comprises: a steering wheel provided with an outer ring, which is mounted so as to rotate around a rotation axis and has no mechanical connection to steering wheels; a support element, which, on one side, can be rigidly fixed on the inside of the vehicle and, on the other side, is connected to the steering wheel so as to support the steering wheel; and a position sensor, which is designed to detect the angular position of the outer ring of the steering wheel around the rotation axis. The support element is telescopic so as to vary its axial size along the rotation axis in order to change the axial position of the steering wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: FERRARI S.P.A.
    Inventor: Franco Cimatti
  • Patent number: 10882431
    Abstract: Road vehicle provided with an electric drive and having: at least one pair of drive wheels; at least one electric machine; a mechanical transmission that connects the electric machine to the drive wheels; a passenger compartment; at least one seat, which is housed in the passenger compartment and is provided with at least one mechanical exciter that is designed to generate mechanical vibrations at variable frequencies and intensities; and a control unit, which is designed to drive the mechanical exciter using a driving signal that derives from the noise generated by an internal combustion thermal engine and based on the speed of rotation of the electric machine and/or on the speed of rotation of the drive wheels and/or on the torque generated/absorbed by the electric machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: FERRARI S.P.A.
    Inventor: Franco Cimatti
  • Patent number: 10675964
    Abstract: A road vehicle with an electric drive having: a heat engine provided with a carrier shaft; a gearbox; at least one pump actuated by a carrier shaft; at least a reversible electric machine; a first mechanical transmission, which transmits the motion from the drive shaft of the heat engine to the carrier shaft and is provided with a first freewheel; a second mechanical transmission, which transmits the motion from the shaft of the electric machine to the carrier shaft and is provided with a second freewheel; and a third mechanical transmission, which is arranged in parallel to the second mechanical transmission, transmits the motion from the shaft of the electric machine to the carrier shaft, is provided with a third freewheel and reverses the direction of motion with respect to the second mechanical transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Ferrari S.p.A.
    Inventor: Franco Cimatti
  • Publication number: 20190202331
    Abstract: Road vehicle provided with an electric drive and having: at least one pair of drive wheels; at least one electric machine; a mechanical transmission that connects the electric machine to the drive wheels; a passenger compartment; at least one seat, which is housed in the passenger compartment and is provided with at least one mechanical exciter that is designed to generate mechanical vibrations at variable frequencies and intensities; and a control unit, which is designed to drive the mechanical exciter using a driving signal that derives from the noise generated by an internal combustion thermal engine and based on the speed of rotation of the electric machine and/or on the speed of rotation of the drive wheels and/or on the torque generated/absorbed by the electric machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventor: Franco Cimatti
  • Publication number: 20190135332
    Abstract: A steering system for a road vehicle; the steering system comprises: a steering wheel provided with an outer ring, which is mounted so as to rotate around a rotation axis and has no mechanical connection to steering wheels; a support element, which, on one side, can be rigidly fixed on the inside of the vehicle and, on the other side, is connected to the steering wheel so as to support the steering wheel; and a position sensor, which is designed to detect the angular position of the outer ring of the steering wheel around the rotation axis. The support element is telescopic so as to vary its axial size along the rotation axis in order to change the axial position of the steering wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventor: Franco Cimatti
  • Publication number: 20190126970
    Abstract: A steering system for a road vehicle; the steering system comprises: a steering wheel provided with an outer ring, which is mounted so as to rotate around a rotation axis and has no connection to steering wheels; a position sensor, which is designed to detect the angular position of the outer ring of the steering wheel around the rotation axis; and a mechanical limit stop device, which is coupled to the outer ring of the steering wheel and limits, in both directions, the maximum angular width of the rotation of the steering wheel around the rotation axis, so that the steering wheel can make, on the whole, a rotation around the rotation axis that is greater than 360°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventor: Franco Cimatti
  • Patent number: 10011163
    Abstract: An automatic manual transmission for a hybrid vehicle provided with an internal combustion engine and with an electrical machine. The automatic manual transmission has: a servo-assisted mechanical gearbox; a differential gear, which transmits the motion to driving wheels; a clutch; a servo-assisted drive device with a variable gear ratio; an auxiliary shaft, along which the electrical machine is mounted; a drive shaft connecting the differential gear to the servo-assisted drive device, which is arranged immediately downstream of the gearbox and directly receives the motion from a secondary shaft of the gearbox; a first connectable/disconnectable and servo-assisted connection device, which is suited to connect the auxiliary shaft to the drive shaft; and a second connectable/disconnectable and servo-assisted connection device, which is suited to connect the auxiliary shaft to the secondary shaft of the gearbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Ferrari S.p.A.
    Inventor: Franco Cimatti
  • Patent number: 9970425
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine having: an engine provided with a crankshaft; a cooling system provided with a circulation pump, which comprises an impeller supported by a pump shaft that is mounted so as to rotate around a rotation axis; an auxiliary shaft, which transmits the rotation movement to the pump shaft of the circulation pump; a mechanical transmission, which transmits the rotational movement from the crankshaft to the auxiliary shaft; and a coupling device, which is interposed between the pump shaft of the circulation pump and the auxiliary shaft and is suited to mechanically connect/disconnect the pump shaft to/from the auxiliary shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Ferrari S.p.A.
    Inventor: Franco Cimatti
  • Patent number: 9895981
    Abstract: An electric power system of a vehicle with electric propulsion having: an electric machine; a storage system provided with two chemical battery packs electrically separated from each other; an electronic DC/AC power converter, which exchanges electric energy with the storage system and controls the electric machine; a pair of electronic DC/DC power converters, each of which increases the voltage and has a low-voltage side, which is electrically connected only and exclusively to a corresponding chemical battery, and a high-voltage side, which is connected to the electronic DC/AC power converter in parallel to the high-voltage side of the other electronic DC/DC power converter; and a common container, which houses the storage system and the electronic power converters therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: FERRARI S.p.A.
    Inventors: Franco Cimatti, Fabrizio Favaretto
  • Publication number: 20170087975
    Abstract: A road vehicle with an electric drive having: a heat engine provided with a carrier shaft; a gearbox; at least one pump actuated by a carrier shaft; at least a reversible electric machine; a first mechanical transmission, which transmits the motion from the drive shaft of the heat engine to the carrier shaft and is provided with a first freewheel; a second mechanical transmission, which transmits the motion from the shaft of the electric machine to the carrier shaft and is provided with a second freewheel; and a third mechanical transmission, which is arranged in parallel to the second mechanical transmission, transmits the motion from the shaft of the electric machine to the carrier shaft, is provided with a third freewheel and reverses the direction of motion with respect to the second mechanical transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventor: Franco Cimatti
  • Patent number: 9586476
    Abstract: A vehicle with connectable four-wheel drive. The vehicle includes an engine with a drive shaft; a pair of main drive wheels; a main transmission line which permanently connects the drive shaft to the main drive wheels, the main transmission line including a main gearbox and a main differential; a pair of normally driven secondary drive wheels; and a connectable secondary transmission line for connecting the drive shaft also to the secondary drive wheels and having a geared transmission, at least one secondary clutch which on one side is connected to the drive shaft upstream of the main gearbox and on the other side is connected to the secondary drive wheels, and a continuously variable transmission which is controlled electronically to vary its transmission ratio in a continuous manner between two limit values without ever interrupting the transmission of the driving torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Ferrari S.p.A.
    Inventor: Franco Cimatti
  • Publication number: 20160355082
    Abstract: An automatic manual transmission for a hybrid vehicle provided with an internal combustion engine and with an electrical machine. The automatic manual transmission has: a servo-assisted mechanical gearbox; a differential gear, which transmits the motion to driving wheels; a clutch; a servo-assisted drive device with a variable gear ratio; an auxiliary shaft, along which the electrical machine is mounted; a drive shaft connecting the differential gear to the servo-assisted drive device, which is arranged immediately downstream of the gearbox and directly receives the motion from a secondary shaft of the gearbox; a first connectable/disconnectable and servo-assisted connection device, which is suited to connect the auxiliary shaft to the drive shaft; and a second connectable/disconnectable and servo-assisted connection device, which is suited to connect the auxiliary shaft to the secondary shaft of the gearbox.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Applicant: Ferrari S.p.A.
    Inventor: Franco Cimatti
  • Patent number: 9397536
    Abstract: An embodiment of a rotating electrical machine has: a shaft rotatably mounted to rotate around a central rotation axis; a rotor carried by the shaft; a stator which supports stator windings and is arranged around the rotor to enclose the rotor therein; a cylindrical casing which encloses the stator therein; and a cooling circuit which is intended for the circulation of a cooling fluid, is obtained at the casing, has a single common inlet opening for the cooling fluid axially arranged in the centre of a lateral wall of the casing, and two helicoidal paths, each of which is a mirror-image twin of the other one, centrally originates from the common inlet opening and extends from the centre of the casing towards a corresponding end of the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: FERRARI S.p.A.
    Inventor: Franco Cimatti