Patents by Inventor John G. Fowler

John G. Fowler 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).

  • Patent number: 9758170
    Abstract: A powertrain includes an engine, a transmission, and one or more accessories, such as an alternator or an air conditioning compressor, all operating based on commands from a controller. The controller is programmed to coordinate commands to the transmission with commands to the accessories to mitigate the impacts of transmission state changes. The accessory drive torque may be adjusted to compensate for the torque required to change the speed of a transmission internal shaft. The accessory effective inertia may be adjusted to maintain a powertrain natural frequency so that active damping can be maintained throughout a transmission state change event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John G. Fowler, Joseph F. Kucharski
  • Publication number: 20170088139
    Abstract: A powertrain includes an engine, a transmission, and one or more accessories, such as an alternator or an air conditioning compressor, all operating based on commands from a controller. The controller is programmed to coordinate commands to the transmission with commands to the accessories to mitigate the impacts of transmission state changes. The accessory drive torque may be adjusted to compensate for the torque required to change the speed of a transmission internal shaft. The accessory effective inertia may be adjusted to maintain a powertrain natural frequency so that active damping can be maintained throughout a transmission state change event.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: John G. Fowler, Joseph F. Kucharski
  • Patent number: 9506509
    Abstract: During state transitions, a clutch actuator position command includes an oscillating component called a dither. This dithering helps avoid jumps in the actuator position due to friction when the commanded position is changed gradually. Also, dither during a transition from fully released to slipping causes the natural frequency of the system to change gradually rather than abruptly. This permits use of another slipping clutch for active damping based on a measured oscillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: John G. Fowler, Joseph F. Kucharski, Michael William Brylinski, Timothy L. Sargent