Patents by Inventor Robert Southam

Robert Southam 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: 8905643
    Abstract: A thermal compensation element which has an inner ring, an outer ring, and a washer. The washer is arranged within the inner ring and the outer ring is mounted over the inner ring, encapsulating the washer, which can be a split wave spring. The inner ring and the outer ring each have retention features to ensure they are retained relative to each other. The thermal compensation, which is positioned between a housing or a shaft, can account for variations in loading and/or temperature that may occur to a bearing and a shaft system when the shaft and an associated component are made of different materials and have different coefficients of thermal expansion by ensuring a proper axial preload is maintained on the bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Marion Jack Ince, Guihui Zhong, Robert Southam, Charles Schwab, Michael Turner, Brian Lee
  • Publication number: 20120195537
    Abstract: A thermal compensation element which has an inner ring, an outer ring, and a washer. The washer is arranged within the inner ring and the outer ring is mounted over the inner ring, encapsulating the washer, which can be a split wave spring. The inner ring and the outer ring each have retention features to ensure they are retained relative to each other. The thermal compensation, which is positioned between a housing or a shaft, can account for variations in loading and/or temperature that may occur to a bearing and a shaft system when the shaft and an associated component are made of different materials and have different coefficients of thermal expansion by ensuring a proper axial preload is maintained on the bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Marion Jack INCE, Guihui ZHONG, Robert SOUTHAM, Charles SCHWAB, Michael TURNER, Brian LEE
  • Patent number: 7997159
    Abstract: The present invention broadly comprises a gear selector assembly including a tube with at least one engagement feature, arranged to be disposed within a drive shaft for a transmission, the transmission including at least one gear and the drive shaft including at least one gear actuation assembly; and a differential rotation element coupled with the tube and arranged to be coupled with the drive shaft so that the tube is differentially rotatable with respect to the drive shaft. The tube is arranged to differentially rotate such that the engagement feature engages the actuation assembly and the transmission engages a respective gear from the at least one gear. The assembly includes a means for displacing a portion of the differential rotation element such that the tube axially and rotationally displaces with respect to the drive shaft. The portion axially and rotationally engages with an interface element to controllably position the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Jeffrey Hemphill, Mavinkal Jayaram, Brian Lee, Robert Southam
  • Publication number: 20080098843
    Abstract: The present invention broadly comprises a gear selector assembly including a tube with at least one engagement feature, arranged to be disposed within a drive shaft for a transmission, the transmission including at least one gear and the drive shaft including at least one gear actuation assembly; and a differential rotation element coupled with the tube and arranged to be coupled with the drive shaft so that the tube is differentially rotatable with respect to the drive shaft. The tube is arranged to differentially rotate such that the engagement feature engages the actuation assembly and the transmission engages a respective gear from the at least one gear. The assembly includes a means for displacing a portion of the differential rotation element such that the tube axially and rotationally displaces with respect to the drive shaft. The portion axially and rotationally engages with an interface element to controllably position the tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventors: Jeffrey HEMPHILL, Mavinkal JAYARAM, Brian LEE, Robert SOUTHAM