Patents by Inventor Robert William Thompson
Robert William Thompson 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).
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Patent number: 12214821Abstract: Gearboxes for a skid steered vehicle including layouts in which all electric propulsion drive motors and electric steering motors are located on one side of the gearbox, and layouts in which the drive inputs of the electric propulsion drive motors are located face to face. Gear change units and gear packaging configurations suitable for such gearboxes.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2021Date of Patent: February 4, 2025Assignee: RENK America LLCInventors: Robert William Thompson, Robert John Bonner Flaxman
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Publication number: 20230042398Abstract: A drive unit for a skid steered vehicle includes a controlled differential positioned between two shafts. The end of each shaft forms an output of the drive unit connected directly to the differential outputs via the shafts. A steer motor is in driveable communication with the differential, and an electric propulsion motor is in driveable communication with the shaft outputs. A gear reduction unit, and optional gear change unit, is positioned between the differential and the electric propulsion motor. The electric propulsion motor, the gear reduction unit and optional gear change unit are connected in a parallel connection with an output of the differential to the shaft outputs. The optional gear change unit includes an epicyclic gear reduction unit having an input and an output which provides drive input from the gear change unit to the shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 11, 2021Publication date: February 9, 2023Inventors: Robert William THOMPSON, Robert John Bonner FLAXMAN
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Publication number: 20230039208Abstract: Gearboxes for a skid steered vehicle including layouts in which all electric propulsion drive motors and electric steering motors are located on one side of the gearbox, and layouts in which the drive inputs of the electric propulsion drive motors are located face to face. Gear change units and gear packaging configurations suitable for such gearboxes.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2021Publication date: February 9, 2023Inventors: Robert William THOMPSON, Robert John Bonner FLAXMAN
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Publication number: 20220266678Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to an electric hub drive with a braking assembly. The hub drive includes a housing; a rotary drive transmission system mounted within the housing; and a braking assembly positioned within the housing. The braking assembly includes a braking formation that is coupled to be rotationally driven by the rotary drive transmission system. Advantageously or preferably, the braking formation is coupled to be rotationally driven by a part of the rotary drive transmission system that has a higher angular velocity than the output shaft. This enables the braking formation to rotate at a faster speed than the wheel hub.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2022Publication date: August 25, 2022Inventor: Robert William THOMPSON
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Patent number: 11280405Abstract: Some embodiments are directed toward a transmission having a torque input and output, drive members selectively engageable for sequentially changing gear ratio between the torque input and output, the transmission also having a shaft with a shifting feature. The transmission includes a drum having a track around its outer perimeter and arranged such that torque can be transferred by rotating the shaft, the drum capable of being moved along the length of the shaft, a biasing mechanism for urging the drum towards a rest position along the length of the shaft, and a drive member selector member provided in operative relation to the track, wherein by rotating the shaft the drive member selector member can be selectively urged into contact with a first drive member for drivingly engaging therewith in a first torque connection or into contact with a second drive member for drivingly engaging in a second torque connection.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2017Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventor: Robert William Thompson
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Patent number: 11255430Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a gearing assembly including a rotary input member, a rotary output member and a gearing arrangement between the input member and the output member selectively engageable to effect a driving engagement between the input member and the output member through at least a first torque connection having a first gear ratio and a second torque connection having a second gear ratio. One of the rotary input member and the rotary output member includes a first shaft and the first torque connection includes a first dog clutch including a dog hub having a hub set of teeth and a surrounding dog ring including a ring set of teeth. The hub and ring sets of teeth are radially projecting and mutually engageable. The dog hub is mounted on the first shaft so as to allow axial movement of the dog hub relative to the shaft.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2019Date of Patent: February 22, 2022Assignee: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventors: Robert William Thompson, Robert John Bonner Flaxman
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Publication number: 20210285539Abstract: Some embodiments are directed toward a transmission having a torque input and output, drive members selectively engageable for sequentially changing gear ratio between the torque input and output, the transmission also having a shaft with a shifting feature. The transmission includes a drum having a track around its outer perimeter and arranged such that torque can be transferred by rotating the shaft, the drum capable of being moved along the length of the shaft, a biasing mechanism for urging the drum towards a rest position along the length of the shaft, and a drive member selector member provided in operative relation to the track, wherein by rotating the shaft the drive member selector member can be selectively urged into contact with a first drive member for drivingly engaging therewith in a first torque connection or into contact with a second drive member for drivingly engaging in a second torque connection.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2017Publication date: September 16, 2021Inventor: Robert William THOMPSON
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Patent number: 11022204Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a transmission including a plurality of shafts, each carrying a plurality of drive members, the drive members on each shaft arranged to operatively cooperate with those carried by at least one other shaft for transferring load between a torque input and a torque output of the transmission in use, the transmission being configured such that respective resultant gear ratios between the torque input and the torque output can be selected in use from each of a plurality of groups thereof by changing a load path between the torque input and the torque output, wherein each group of selectable resultant gear ratios has a load path feature for transferring load between a pair of the shafts which is common to the selectable resultant gear ratios within that group.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2017Date of Patent: June 1, 2021Assignee: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventor: Robert William Thompson
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Patent number: 10982742Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a transmission including a plurality of shafts, each carrying a plurality of drive members, the drive members on each shaft arranged to operatively cooperate with those carried by at least one other shaft for transferring load between a torque input and a torque output of the transmission in use, the transmission being configured such that respective resultant gear ratios between the torque input and the torque output can be selected in use from each of a plurality of groups thereof by changing a load path between the torque input and the torque output, wherein each group of selectable resultant gear ratios has a load path feature for transferring load between a pair of the shafts which is common to the selectable resultant gear ratios within that group.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2017Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventor: Robert William Thompson
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Publication number: 20210071758Abstract: The invention provides a gearing assembly (5) comprising a rotary input member (1b), a rotary output member (3) and a gearing arrangement (52) between the input member and the output member selectively engageable to effect a driving engagement between the input member and the output member through at least a first torque connection having a first gear ratio and a second torque connection having a second gear ratio.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2019Publication date: March 11, 2021Inventors: Robert William THOMPSON, Robert John Bonner FLAXMAN
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Publication number: 20200300345Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a transmission including a plurality of shafts, each carrying a plurality of drive members, the drive members on each shaft arranged to operatively cooperate with those carried by at least one other shaft for transferring load between a torque input and a torque output of the transmission in use, the transmission being configured such that respective resultant gear ratios between the torque input and the torque output can be selected in use from each of a plurality of groups thereof by changing a load path between the torque input and the torque output, wherein each group of selectable resultant gear ratios has a load path feature for transferring load between a pair of the shafts which is common to the selectable resultant gear ratios within that group.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2017Publication date: September 24, 2020Applicant: QinetiQ LimitedInventor: Robert William THOMPSON
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Patent number: 10619708Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a gearbox including first and second rotational members, the first rotational member having a shaft portion extending away from the gearbox, the first rotational member carrying one or more projections, the second rotational member carrying one or more complementary projections, the projections carried by the first rotational member being configured to be drivingly engaged with the complementary projections carried by the second rotational member to transmit torque in a first torque connection but not in a torque connection that is opposed to the first torque connection. The gearbox further includes a one way clutch adapted such that the first and second rotational members can be drivingly engaged to transmit torque in a second torque connection, wherein the second torque connection is opposed to the first torque connection.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2015Date of Patent: April 14, 2020Assignee: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventor: Robert William Thompson
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Patent number: 10493844Abstract: A gearing assembly includes a rotary input member, a rotary output member, and a gearing arrangement between the input member and the output member selectively able to effect a driving engagement between the input member and the output member through at least a first torque connection having a first gear ratio. A second torque connection has a second gear ratio and a third torque connection having a third gear ratio. The gearing arrangement includes a first engagement member operable selectively to effect the first torque connection in a 1:1 ratio, a first planetary gear stage, and a second planetary gear stage. A second engagement member is operable selectively to effect the second torque connection, and a third engagement member operable selectively to effect the third torque connection, respectively, through one or more of the planetary gear stages.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2016Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventor: Robert William Thompson
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Patent number: 10428941Abstract: A drive member selection mechanism is described, including at least one drive member and at least two selector members, wherein the drive member includes a first and second face, and further includes, on each face, at least one projection, and the selector members include, on at least one face thereof, at least one complementary projection arranged to selectively engage with a projection of a drive member, the arrangement being such that the projection(s) of a selector member and the projection(s) of the first face of a drive member may be drivingly engaged in a first torque connection and the projection(s) of a selector member and the projection(s) of the second face of a drive member may be drivingly engaged in a second torque connection, wherein the second torque connection is opposed to the first torque connection.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2013Date of Patent: October 1, 2019Assignee: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventor: Robert William Thompson
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Patent number: 10408345Abstract: A shifting apparatus including a shaft extending along an axis, and at least one shifting feature, each of the at least one shifting feature including: a multi-part pin having first and second parts arranged to rotate relative to each other that extend through respective slots extending along the shaft; a drum arranged around the shaft and having channels extending along the length thereof wherein the first and second parts of the multi-part pin are respectively received for enabling torque transfer to the drum when the shaft is rotated, the drum also defining a track at least partially around its outer surface; a biasing mechanism for urging the drum towards a rest position along the length of the shaft; and a drive member selector member provided in operative relation to the track. The drive member selector member can be controlled to selectively engage a drive member.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2016Date of Patent: September 10, 2019Assignee: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventor: Robert William Thompson
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Publication number: 20180195608Abstract: A shifting apparatus including a shaft extending along an axis, and at least one shifting feature, each of the at least one shifting feature including: a multi-part pin having first and second parts arranged to rotate relative to each other that extend through respective slots extending along the shaft; a drum arranged around the shaft and having channels extending along the length thereof wherein the first and second parts of the multi-part pin are respectively received for enabling torque transfer to the drum when the shaft is rotated, the drum also defining a track at least partially around its outer surface; a biasing mechanism for urging the drum towards a rest position along the length of the shaft; and a drive member selector member provided in operative relation to the track. The drive member selector member can be controlled to selectively engage a drive member.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2016Publication date: July 12, 2018Inventor: Robert William THOMPSON
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Publication number: 20180072154Abstract: A gearing assembly includes a rotary input member, a rotary output member, and a gearing arrangement between the input member and the output member selectively able to effect a driving engagement between the input member and the output member through at least a first torque connection having a first gear ratio. A second torque connection has a second gear ratio and a third torque connection having a third gear ratio. The gearing arrangement includes a first engagement member operable selectively to effect the first torque connection in a 1:1 ratio, a first planetary gear stage, and a second planetary gear stage. A second engagement member is operable selectively to effect the second torque connection, and a third engagement member operable selectively to effect the third torque connection, respectively, through one or more of the planetary gear stages.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2016Publication date: March 15, 2018Inventor: Robert William THOMPSON
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Publication number: 20180065477Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to an electric hub drive with a braking assembly. The hub drive includes a housing; a rotary drive transmission system mounted within the housing; and a braking assembly positioned within the housing. The braking assembly includes a braking formation that is coupled to be rotationally driven by the rotary drive transmission system. Advantageously or preferably, the braking formation is coupled to be rotationally driven by a part of the rotary drive transmission system that has a higher angular velocity than the output shaft. This enables the braking formation to rotate at a faster speed than the wheel hub.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2016Publication date: March 8, 2018Inventor: Robert William THOMPSON
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Publication number: 20170234408Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a gearbox including first and second rotational members, the first rotational member having a shaft portion extending away from the gearbox, the first rotational member carrying one or more projections, the second rotational member carrying one or more complementary projections, the projections carried by the first rotational member being configured to be drivingly engaged with the complementary projections carried by the second rotational member to transmit torque in a first torque connection but not in a torque connection that is opposed to the first torque connection. The gearbox further includes a one way clutch adapted such that the first and second rotational members can be drivingly engaged to transmit torque in a second torque connection, wherein the second torque connection is opposed to the first torque connection.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2015Publication date: August 17, 2017Applicant: QINETIQ LIMITEDInventor: Robert William THOMPSON
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Patent number: 9688349Abstract: A chainless drive mechanism for a bicycle using pedal arms, one on each side of the bicycle, each pedal arm carrying a pedal engageable with a rider's foot. Each pedal arm is mounted to a crank by a rotating joint and connected to the frame of the bicycle by a link, each link having rotating joints at each end. The cranks are connected by a shaft passing through the hub of to the driven wheel of the bicycle. The cranks may be connected to the driven wheel by a multi ratio free wheeling gear mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2014Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Inventor: Robert William Thompson