Patents by Inventor Steven Adam Hermann

Steven Adam Hermann 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: 11697344
    Abstract: A wheel end disconnect assembly includes a housing, a shift ring, a shift fork and an actuator. The shift ring is supported for axial translation relative to the housing between a connected position in which the shift ring couples an input member to a wheel hub for rotation therewith and a disconnected position in which the input member and the wheel hub are rotatable relative to each other. The shift fork includes a first arm portion, a second arm portion, and an input portion extending from a junction of the first and second arm portions. The shift fork is pivotably coupled to the housing at the junction of the first and second arm portions. The actuator is configured to move the input portion to pivot the first and second arm portions such that the first and second arm portions translate the shift ring between the connected and disconnected positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Norman Jerry Bird, Steven Adam Hermann
  • Publication number: 20220340004
    Abstract: A wheel end disconnect assembly includes a housing, a shift ring, a shift fork and an actuator. The shift ring is supported for axial translation relative to the housing between a connected position in which the shift ring couples an input member to a wheel hub for rotation therewith and a disconnected position in which the input member and the wheel hub are rotatable relative to each other. The shift fork includes a first arm portion, a second arm portion, and an input portion extending from a junction of the first and second arm portions. The shift fork is pivotably coupled to the housing at the junction of the first and second arm portions. The actuator is configured to move the input portion to pivot the first and second arm portions such that the first and second arm portions translate the shift ring between the connected and disconnected positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Norman Jerry Bird, Steven Adam Hermann
  • Patent number: 9631722
    Abstract: A transmission includes sensors positioned adjacent respective pairs of magnetized bands on a shaft of the transmission for detecting magnetic flux emanating from the bands in response to torque on the shaft. The transmission further includes an electronics interface assembly configured to respectively provide drive signals to the sensors and to receive from the sensors, in response to the drive signals, output signals indicative of the torque on the shaft as detected by the sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gregory Michael Pietron, Nimrod Kapas, Joseph F. Kucharski, Steven Adam Hermann, Christopher Gregory Garbacz, Yuji Fujii, Diana Yanakiev, Roberto Teran, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9383273
    Abstract: Designs to package a magneto-elastic torque sensor in an automotive transmission, such as front wheel drive (FWD) automatic transmissions, for volume production applications are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Nimrod Kapas, Joseph F. Kucharski, Gregory Michael Pietron, Yuji Fujii, Steven Adam Hermann, Jeffrey Edward Maurer, Laurence Andrew Deutsch
  • Publication number: 20150012193
    Abstract: A transmission includes sensors positioned adjacent respective pairs of magnetized bands on a shaft of the transmission for detecting magnetic flux emanating from the bands in response to torque on the shaft. The transmission further includes an electronics interface assembly configured to respectively provide drive signals to the sensors and to receive from the sensors, in response to the drive signals, output signals indicative of the torque on the shaft as detected by the sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Gregory Michael Pietron, Nimrod Kapas, Joseph F. Kucharski, Steven Adam Hermann, Christopher Gregory Garbacz, Yuji Fujii, Diana Yanakiev, Roberto Teran, JR.
  • Patent number: 8844379
    Abstract: A transmission includes sensors positioned adjacent respective pairs of magnetized bands on a shaft of the transmission for detecting magnetic flux emanating from the bands in response to torque on the shaft. The transmission further includes an electronics interface assembly configured to respectively provide drive signals to the sensors and to receive from the sensors, in response to the drive signals, output signals indicative of the torque on the shaft as detected by the sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Gregory Michael Pietron, Nimrod Kapas, Joseph F. Kucharski, Steven Adam Hermann, Christopher Gregory Garbacz, Yuji Fujii, Diana Yanakiev, Roberto Teran, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20130263654
    Abstract: A transmission includes sensors positioned adjacent respective pairs of magnetized bands on a shaft of the transmission for detecting magnetic flux emanating from the bands in response to torque on the shaft. The transmission further includes an electronics interface assembly configured to respectively provide drive signals to the sensors and to receive from the sensors, in response to the drive signals, output signals indicative of the torque on the shaft as detected by the sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Inventors: Gregory Michael Pietron, Nimrod Kapas, Joseph F. Kucharski, Steven Adam Hermann, Christopher Gregory Garbacz, Yuji Fujii, Diana Yanakiev, Roberto Teran, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20120297895
    Abstract: Designs to package a magneto-elastic torque sensor in an automotive transmission, such as front wheel drive (FWD) automatic transmissions, for volume production applications are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Nimrod Kapas, Joseph F. Kucharski, Gregory Michael Pietron, Yuji Fujii, Steven Adam Hermann, Jeffrey Edward Maurer, Laurence Andrew Deutsch