Patents by Inventor Philip C. McKenzie

Philip C. McKenzie 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: 20120018236
    Abstract: An off-highway truck with an electric powertrain is provided. The off-highway truck includes a set of steerable idle wheels supported by a chassis. An engine is configured to provide the off-highway truck with mechanical energy. At least one electric power generator is operably coupled to the engine and configured to convert at least a portion of the mechanical energy provided by the engine into electric energy. At least one electric motor is operably coupled to the electric power generator. First and second final drives are configured to rotate at least one drive wheel that is non-steerable. A differential is operably coupled to the at least one electric motor for distributing the torque produced by the at least one electric motor to the first and second final drives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: CATERPILLAR INC.
    Inventors: Suresh B. Reddy, Philip C. McKenzie, Michael Krause
  • Publication number: 20100065356
    Abstract: An off-highway truck with an electric powertrain is provided. The off-highway truck includes a set of steerable idle wheels supported by a chassis. An engine is configured to provide the off-highway truck with mechanical energy. At least one electric power generator is operably coupled to the engine and configured to convert at least a portion of the mechanical energy provided by the engine into electric energy. At least one electric motor is operably coupled to the electric power generator. First and second final drives are configured to rotate at least one drive wheel that is non-steerable. A differential is operably coupled to the at least one electric motor for distributing the torque produced by the at least one electric motor to the first and second final drives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2008
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Suresh B. Reddy, Philip C. McKenzie, Michael Krause
  • Patent number: 5737979
    Abstract: Clutches in multi-speed transmission have been initially calibrated in an attempt to determine the point at which the clutch is filled and thus reduce the harshness of engagement of the elements within the clutches during future gear ratio changes in the transmission when being worked under normal conditions. In these earlier attempts at calibrating the clutches, the desired pressure level needed to fill the clutch was either empirically derived or calibrated by incrementally increasing or stepping the pressure level from a minimum value to the required value. In the subject invention, the clutches are calibrated by using a method of calibration that is substantially the same method that is used during normal operating conditions. By using substantially the same method, any effects of "hysteresis" of the associated valving is basically eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Philip C. McKenzie, Ashok K. Kajjam
  • Patent number: 5040648
    Abstract: A vehicle such as an earthmoving wheel loader has an engine, a torque converter having an impeller element, a reactor element and a turbine element, and an input clutch connected between the engine and the impeller element. An electrohydraulic control device is provided to controllably engage the input clutch and that includes a microprocessor-based electronic control module, an actuator mechanism having a control member that is progressively movable between first, second and third positions to deliver a first electrical signal to the electronic control module, and a valve for directing fluid to the input clutch at a decreasing pressure level when the control member is moved from the first to the second positions in response to another signal from the electronic control module. The electronic control module is programmed to maintain at least a minimal pressure level to the actuating piston of the input clutch when the control member is between the second and third positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1991
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Randall M. Mitchell, David W. Bump, deceased, Michael F. Coffman, Dwight S. Holloway, Lowell E. Johnson, Tony L. Marcott, Philip C. McKenzie, Noel J. Rytter