Patents by Inventor John William Edward Fuller

John William Edward Fuller 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: 10253875
    Abstract: An apparatus for multiplexing gear engagement control in an automatic transmission is provided. At least two friction engagement devices are configured to selectively engage and disengage a different gear ratio of the transmission. A trim system is configured to selectively supply engagement and disengagement pressures to at least one fluid passageway. A first control valve is fluidly coupled directly to the at least one fluid passageway and directly to each of the at least two friction engagement devices. The first control valve is configured to selectively route the engagement and disengagement pressures through the first control valve directly to the at least two friction devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles F. Long, Darren J. Weber, John William Edward Fuller
  • Patent number: 9759318
    Abstract: A transmission includes an electro-hydraulic controller that includes redundancy in the hydraulic circuit that permits single fault failures to be compensated for by changing the flow path of hydraulic fluid to bypass the single fault failure. The redundancy results in the ability of the transmission to maintain full operation in all modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles F. Long, Darren J. Weber, John William Edward Fuller, Stephen Murray
  • Patent number: 9752678
    Abstract: A transmission includes an electro-hydraulic controller that includes redundancy in the hydraulic circuit that permits single fault failures to be compensated for by changing the flow path of hydraulic fluid to bypass the single fault failure. The redundancy results in the ability of the transmission to maintain full operation in all modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles F. Long, Darren J. Weber, John William Edward Fuller, Stephen Murray
  • Patent number: 9429232
    Abstract: A transmission includes an electro-hydraulic controller that includes redundancy in the hydraulic circuit that permits single fault failures to be compensated for by changing the flow path of hydraulic fluid to bypass the single fault failure. The redundancy results in the ability of the transmission to maintain full operation in all modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles F. Long, Darren J. Weber, John William Edward Fuller, Stephen Murray
  • Patent number: 9400051
    Abstract: A transmission includes an electro-hydraulic controller that includes redundancy in the hydraulic circuit that permits single fault failures to be compensated for by changing the flow path of hydraulic fluid to bypass the single fault failure. The redundancy results in the ability of the transmission to maintain full operation in all modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Allison Transmisson, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles F. Long, Darren J. Weber, John William Edward Fuller, Stephen Murray
  • Publication number: 20160169376
    Abstract: An apparatus for multiplexing gear engagement control in an automatic transmission is provided. At least two friction engagement devices are configured to selectively engage and disengage a different gear ratio of the transmission. A trim system is configured to selectively supply engagement and disengagement pressures to at least one fluid passageway. A first control valve is fluidly coupled directly to the at least one fluid passageway and directly to each of the at least two friction engagement devices. The first control valve is configured to selectively route the engagement and disengagement pressures through the first control valve directly to the at least two friction devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2016
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Charles F. Long, Darren J. Weber, John William Edward Fuller
  • Patent number: 9347555
    Abstract: A variator lockout valve system for a continuously variable transmission includes a pair of shift valves. Each shift valve has at least one port that is fluidly coupled to a variator of the continuously variable transmission. Electro-hydraulic actuators control the position of each of the shift valves. When the shift valves are in one position, pressure control valves supply fluid pressure to the variator. If one of the shift valves is in another position, one of the pressure control valves is blocked from supplying fluid pressure to the variator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles F. Long, Darren J. Weber, John William Edward Fuller
  • Patent number: 9329099
    Abstract: A fault diagnostic method for an automatic transmission may include monitoring an operating state of a trim system configured to selectively supply clutch engagement pressure and exhaust to at least one clutch control valve, determining an expected operating state of the trim system based on current operating conditions of the transmission, and generating a fault signal if the monitored operating state of the trim system is different from the expected operating state of the trim system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles F. Long, Darren J. Weber, John William Edward Fuller
  • Patent number: 9267582
    Abstract: An apparatus for multiplexing gear engagement control in an automatic transmission is provided. At least two friction engagement devices are configured to selectively engage and disengage a different gear ratio of the transmission. A trim system is configured to selectively supply engagement and disengagement pressures to at least one fluid passageway. A first control valve is fluidly coupled directly to the at least one fluid passageway and directly to each of the at least two friction engagement devices. The first control valve is configured to selectively route the engagement and disengagement pressures through the first control valve directly to the at least two friction devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles F. Long, Darren J. Weber, John William Edward Fuller
  • Publication number: 20150247572
    Abstract: A transmission includes an electro-hydraulic controller that includes redundancy in the hydraulic circuit that permits single fault failures to be compensated for by changing the flow path of hydraulic fluid to bypass the single fault failure. The redundancy results in the ability of the transmission to maintain full operation in all modes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Inventors: Charles F. Long, Darren J. Weber, John William Edward Fuller, Stephen Murray
  • Patent number: 9103434
    Abstract: A fail-to-neutral diagnostic technique for a transmission that includes a variator may include monitoring a state of a pressure differential valve fluidly coupled to a high side pressure applied to at least one actuator coupled to at least one corresponding roller of the variator and also fluidly coupled to a low side pressure applied to the at least one actuator, determining from the state of the pressure differential valve a variator torque sign corresponding to whether torque transferred by the at least one roller is positive or negative, determining an expected variator torque sign based on current operating conditions of the transmission, and commanding the transmission to a true neutral condition if the determined variator torque sign is different from the expected variator torque sign.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles F. Long, Darren J. Weber, John William Edward Fuller
  • Patent number: 9037370
    Abstract: A transmission includes an electro-hydraulic controller that includes redundancy in the hydraulic circuit that permits single fault failures to be compensated for by changing the flow path of hydraulic fluid to bypass the single fault failure. The redundancy results in the ability of the transmission to maintain full operation in all modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles F. Long, Darren J. Weber, John William Edward Fuller, Stephen Murray
  • Publication number: 20150080172
    Abstract: A transmission includes an electro-hydraulic controller that includes redundancy in the hydraulic circuit that permits single fault failures to be compensated for by changing the flow path of hydraulic fluid to bypass the single fault failure. The redundancy results in the ability of the transmission to maintain full operation in all modes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Inventors: Charles F. Long, Darren J. Weber, John William Edward Fuller, Stephen Murray
  • Patent number: 8924111
    Abstract: The invention concerns an electronic controller for a continuously variable transmission of the type having a variator (10) with a rotary variator input (17) coupled to a first variator race (14a) and a rotary variator output (29) coupled to a second variator race (16a). At least one roller (20) runs upon the said races to transfer drive from one to the other. The roller is movable to steplessly vary the variator ratio. The variator further comprises at least one hydraulic actuator (36), (38) which acts upon the roller and through which net torque acting on the variator races is referred via the roller to the variator's casing. A hydraulic arrangement is provided for applying to the actuator at least one hydraulic control pressure which determines force applied’ by the actuator and thus determines the reaction torque. The variator is coupled between a rotary transmission input (17) and a rotary transmission output (714) such that the transmission ratio is a function of the variator ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Torotrak (Development) Limited
    Inventor: John William Edward Fuller
  • Patent number: 8897977
    Abstract: A transmission includes an electro-hydraulic controller that includes redundancy in the hydraulic circuit that permits single fault failures to be compensated for by changing the flow path of hydraulic fluid to bypass the single fault failure. The redundancy results in the ability of the transmission to maintain full operation in all modes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles F. Long, Darren J. Weber, John William Edward Fuller, Stephen Murray
  • Publication number: 20140214287
    Abstract: A variator lockout valve system for a continuously variable transmission includes a pair of shift valves. Each shift valve has at least one port that is fluidly coupled to a variator of the continuously variable transmission. Electro-hydraulic actuators control the position of each of the shift valves. When the shift valves are in one position, pressure control valves supply fluid pressure to the variator. If one of the shift valves is in another position, one of the pressure control valves is blocked from supplying fluid pressure to the variator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Inventors: Charles F. Long, Darren J. Weber, John William Edward Fuller
  • Publication number: 20140196528
    Abstract: A fault diagnostic method for an automatic transmission may include monitoring an operating state of a trim system configured to selectively supply clutch engagement pressure and exhaust to at least one clutch control valve, determining an expected operating state of the trim system based on current operating conditions of the transmission, and generating a fault signal if the monitored operating state of the trim system is different from the expected operating state of the trim system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Inventors: Charles F. Long, Darren J. Weber, John William Edward Fuller
  • Patent number: 8744697
    Abstract: A variator lockout valve system for a continuously variable transmission includes a pair of shift valves. Each shift valve has at least one port that is fluidly coupled to a variator of the continuously variable transmission. Electro-hydraulic actuators control the position of each of the shift valves. When the shift valves are in one position, pressure control valves supply fluid pressure to the variator. If one of the shift valves is in another position, one of the pressure control valves is blocked from supplying fluid pressure to the variator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles F. Long, Darren J. Weber, John William Edward Fuller
  • Patent number: 8734290
    Abstract: The invention concerns an arrangement for controlling a vehicle drivetrain having an engine provided with a speed governor and a continuously variable transmission (“CVT”) incorporating a variator which is constructed and arranged to regulate its reaction torque. The control system comprises a control part (504) movable by the driver to provide a driver input, an open loop subsystem (511) for operatively coupling the control part to the governor (520) to control no-load speed of the governor in dependence on the driver input, a closed loop subsystem comprising a comparator (502) which receives a first control signal deprived from the driver input and corresponding to a target engine speed, and a second control signal corresponding to engine speed, and which adjusts variator reaction torque in dependence upon a comparison of the first and second control signals causing the transmission to load the engine suitably to achieve the target engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Torotrak (Development) Limited
    Inventor: John William Edward Fuller
  • Patent number: 8676515
    Abstract: A fault diagnostic method for an automatic transmission may include monitoring an operating state of a trim system configured to selectively supply clutch engagement pressure and exhaust to at least one clutch control valve, determining an expected operating state of the trim system based on current operating conditions of the transmission, and generating a fault signal if the monitored operating state of the trim system is different from the expected operating state of the trim system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Allison Transmission, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles F. Long, Darren J. Weber, John William Edward Fuller