Patents by Inventor Gary Allen Pinkley
Gary Allen Pinkley 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).
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Publication number: 20230304567Abstract: A vehicle powertrain may include a differential assembly having a housing disposed partially in a lubrication reservoir. The differential assembly translates rotational motion of a pinion gear to a pair of axle shafts extending from the housing and permits different rotational speeds of the axle shafts. One or more components of the differential assembly, e.g., one or more side gears, may include a plurality of radial grooves configured to distribute a lubricant from the lubrication reservoir while the first side gear rotates.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2023Publication date: September 28, 2023Inventors: Mason Verbridge, Gary Allen Pinkley, Caleb Alex Morris, George Zalanca
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Patent number: 11649884Abstract: A vehicle powertrain may include a differential assembly having a housing disposed partially in a lubrication reservoir. The differential assembly translates rotational motion of a pinion gear to a pair of axle shafts extending from the housing and permits different rotational speeds of the axle shafts. One or more components of the differential assembly, e.g., one or more side gears, may include a plurality of radial grooves configured to distribute a lubricant from the lubrication reservoir while the first side gear rotates.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2021Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: Rivian IP Holdings, LLCInventors: Mason Verbridge, Gary Allen Pinkley, Caleb Alex Morris, George Zalanca
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Publication number: 20230008955Abstract: Example illustrations are directed to a differential, e.g., a disconnecting differential, and associated methods. A disconnecting differential may include two side gears configured to deliver torque from an output gear or differential casing to respective vehicle wheels when the differential is in a connected state. Each of the side gears may be configured to receive the torque from the output gear while permitting a differential speed between the side gears. The disconnecting differential may also include a disconnect device configured to disconnect the output gear from the two side gears such that the differential is in a disconnected state. The disconnecting differential may also include a position sensor configured to determine a rotational position of the output gear.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2022Publication date: January 12, 2023Inventors: Mason Verbridge, Vinaey Kalyanaraman, Gary Allen Pinkley, George Zalanca
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Patent number: 9030063Abstract: An integrated drive system assembly is provided that combines an electric motor, a power inverter assembly and a gearbox into a single, multi-piece enclosure. Combining these components into a single enclosure reduces weight, reduces drive system complexity, reduces system volume, simplifies assembly integration into an electric vehicle, reduces manufacturing cost, allows the flexible and lengthy electrical cables between the power inverter and the electric motor to be replaced with short, low loss, rigid bus bars, and simplifies component cooling by allowing the use of a common thermal management system, i.e., a mutual thermal management system. The common thermal management system includes a liquid coolant loop that is thermally coupled to the electric motor, the power inverter assembly and the gearbox.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2011Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.Inventors: Peter Dore Rawlinson, Nicholas John Sampson, Nicholas Robert Kalayjian, Vincent George Johnston, David Fred Nelson, Gary Allen Pinkley, Wulfer Adrijan de Bruijn, Benjamin David Dettmann, Nicolas Verzeni, Michael Raj Kubba, Edwin M. Pearce, Jr., Jim Robbins
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Patent number: 8881883Abstract: A park lock of a transmission, including a park gear; a park pawl rotating about a pawl shaft, the park pawl having a pawl portion locking the park gear, the park pawl including a cam contact portion; a park rod responsive to an operation of a controller, the park rod having a cam portion pressing the cam contact portion to have park pawl engage the park gear; a park sleeve receiving the cam portion and defining a first contact point providing a reactive force to the cam contact portion of the park pawl pressing against the cam portion at a second contact point; a pawl torsional spring biasing the park pawl towards disengagement; and a pawl stopper limiting the rotation of the park pawl wherein motions are constrained within a plane of the transmission and components are rotatingly disposed in parallel axis bores in one half of a transmission case.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2012Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignees: Tesla Motors, Inc., Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.Inventors: Augusto E. Barton, William Randall Fong, Gary Allen Pinkley, Edwin Marcum Pearce, Jr., Kunio Morisawa, Kazunori Kaneko, Koichi Tanaka
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Publication number: 20130284559Abstract: A park lock of a transmission, including a park gear; a park pawl rotating about a pawl shaft, the park pawl having a pawl portion locking the park gear, the park pawl including a cam contact portion; a park rod responsive to an operation of a controller, the park rod having a cam portion pressing the cam contact portion to have park pawl engage the park gear; a park sleeve receiving the cam portion and defining a first contact point providing a reactive force to the cam contact portion of the park pawl pressing against the cam portion at a second contact point; a pawl torsional spring biasing the park pawl towards disengagement; and a pawl stopper limiting the rotation of the park pawl wherein motions are constrained within a plane of the transmission and components are rotatingly disposed in parallel axis bores in one half of a transmission case.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2012Publication date: October 31, 2013Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., TESLA MOTORS, INC.Inventors: Augusto E. Barton, William Randall Fong, Gary Allen Pinkley, Edwin Marcum Pearce, JR., Kunio Morisawa, Kazunori Kaneko, Koichi Tanaka
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Patent number: 8557416Abstract: A thermal management system is provided that minimizes the effects of thermal runaway within a battery pack, the system using an integrated battery venting assembly comprised of an integrated exhaust port, a valve retention plate that covers the exhaust port and includes a plurality of retention plate ports, and a plurality of valves that are configured to seal the retention plate ports under normal conditions and unseal the retention plate ports during thermal runaway. As hot gas passes through the retention plate ports, the plate is configured to melt and be ejected, thereby allowing subsequent hot gas to pass through the larger exhaust port. A perforated cover plate may be used to protect the external surfaces of the retention plate and valves. An internally mounted exhaust guide may be used to direct the flow of hot gas expelled during the thermal runaway event.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2012Date of Patent: October 15, 2013Assignee: Tesla Motors, Inc.Inventors: Joseph Mardall, Nicholas Hayden Herron, Dustin Grace, Weston Arthur Hermann, Jeffrey C. Weintraub, Gary Allen Pinkley
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Publication number: 20120237803Abstract: A thermal management system is provided that minimizes the effects of thermal runaway within a battery pack, the system using an integrated battery venting assembly comprised of an integrated exhaust port, a valve retention plate that covers the exhaust port and includes a plurality of retention plate ports, and a plurality of valves that are configured to seal the retention plate ports under normal conditions and unseal the retention plate ports during thermal runaway. As hot gas passes through the retention plate ports, the plate is configured to melt and be ejected, thereby allowing subsequent hot gas to pass through the larger exhaust port. A perforated cover plate may be used to protect the external surfaces of the retention plate and valves. An internally mounted exhaust guide may be used to direct the flow of hot gas expelled during the thermal runaway event.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2012Publication date: September 20, 2012Applicant: TESLA MOTORS, INC.Inventors: Joseph Mardall, Nicholas Hayden Herron, Dustin Grace, Weston Arthur Hermann, Jeffrey C. Weintraub, Gary Allen Pinkley
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Publication number: 20120153718Abstract: An integrated drive system assembly is provided that combines an electric motor, a power inverter assembly and a gearbox into a single, multi-piece enclosure. Combining these components into a single enclosure reduces weight, reduces drive system complexity, reduces system volume, simplifies assembly integration into an electric vehicle, reduces manufacturing cost, allows the flexible and lengthy electrical cables between the power inverter and the electric motor to be replaced with short, low loss, rigid bus bars, and simplifies component cooling by allowing the use of a common thermal management system. The common thermal management system includes a liquid coolant loop that is thermally coupled to the electric motor, the power inverter assembly and the gearbox.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2011Publication date: June 21, 2012Applicant: TESLA MOTORS, INC.Inventors: Peter Dore Rawlinson, Nicholas John Sampson, Nicholas Robert Kalayjian, Vincent George Johnston, David Fred Nelson, Gary Allen Pinkley, Wulfer Adrijan de Bruijn, Benjamin David Dettmann, Nicolas Verzeni, Michael Raj Kubba