Patents by Inventor Les Heeren

Les Heeren 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).

  • Vehicle power transfer unit (PTU) with oil feed passage
    Patent number: 9909660
    Abstract: One implementation of a vehicle power transfer unit (PTU) housing, such as that for an automobile, has an oil feed passage extending through one of its walls and at its interior. The oil feed passage delivers oil to gears, bearings, and/or other components equipped inside of the PTU housing and suspended above an oil bath in the PTU housing. Oil of the oil bath is thrown about by rotating gears and makes its way through the oil feed passage and to the gears, bearings, and/or other components. With the oil feed passage, the PTU housing does not rely solely on oil sloshing and splashing and being slung around inside of the PTU housing as the technique for getting oil to the gears, bearings, and/or other components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: GKN Driveline North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Toaso, Jr., Austin Gerding, Les Heeren, Tony Arden
  • VEHICLE POWER TRANSFER UNIT (PTU) WITH OIL FEED PASSAGE
    Publication number: 20170051822
    Abstract: One implementation of a vehicle power transfer unit (PTU) housing, such as that for an automobile, has an oil feed passage extending through one of its walls and at its interior. The oil feed passage delivers oil to gears, bearings, and/or other components equipped inside of the PTU housing and suspended above an oil bath in the PTU housing. Oil of the oil bath is thrown about by rotating gears and makes its way through the oil feed passage and to the gears, bearings, and/or other components. With the oil feed passage, the PTU housing does not rely solely on oil sloshing and splashing and being slung around inside of the PTU housing as the technique for getting oil to the gears, bearings, and/or other components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Inventors: Robert Toaso, JR., Austin Gerding, Les Heeren, Tony Arden