Patents by Inventor Steven Frait

Steven Frait 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: 20110314939
    Abstract: A vehicle transmission includes a pinion secured to an input shaft, a gear meshing with the pinion, an idler secured to the gear, a reverse gear meshing with the idler and secured to a second idler, a low gear supported on a layshaft and meshing with the second idler, and a coupler connecting the low gear to the layshaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Steven G. Thomas, Steven A. Frait, Jeffrey E. Maurer
  • Patent number: 7828128
    Abstract: A system for controlling hydraulic fluid supplied to a torque converter of an transmission includes a torque converter including a chamber containing an impeller and a turbine, and a bypass clutch having a variable torque capacity, a source of variable control pressure, a latch valve changes in response to the variable control pressure alternately between an unlatched state, wherein the latch valve produces a low pressure output, and a latched state, wherein the latch valve produces a high pressure output, a first valve for limiting hydraulic pressure in the chamber alternately at two magnitudes of pressure in response to the low pressure output and the high pressure output, and a second valve responsive to the variable control pressure for regulating a magnitude of hydraulic pressure that actuates the bypass clutch and changes the torque capacity of the clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven A. Frait, Dennis W. Person
  • Patent number: 7765884
    Abstract: A power take-off assembly for transmitting rotary power from the powertrain of a motor vehicle includes a torque converter for an automatic transmission and including an impeller shaft connected driveably to a power source, a housing having a opening through a wall of the housing, and a power takeoff gear secured to the impeller shaft, located in the housing, aligned with the opening, and supported for rotation about an axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Steven A. Frait, Robert J. Miller
  • Publication number: 20090139815
    Abstract: A system for controlling hydraulic fluid supplied to a torque converter of an transmission includes a torque converter including a chamber containing an impeller and a turbine, and a bypass clutch having a variable torque capacity, a source of variable control pressure, a latch valve changes in response to the variable control pressure alternately between an unlatched state, wherein the latch valve produces a low pressure output, and a latched state, wherein the latch valve produces a high pressure output, a first valve for limiting hydraulic pressure in the chamber alternately at two magnitudes of pressure in response to the low pressure output and the high pressure output, and a second valve responsive to the variable control pressure for regulating a magnitude of hydraulic pressure that actuates the bypass clutch and changes the torque capacity of the clutch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventors: Steven A. Frait, Dennis W. Person
  • Publication number: 20090143182
    Abstract: A motor vehicle powertrain includes a multiple speed transmission including a first lube circuit that supplies hydraulic lubricant to components of the transmission, a first oil sump, and a first pump driveably connected to an engine for supplying oil at a first pressure to the lube circuit, a transfer case including a first output, a second oil sump located in the transfer case, a second pump located in the transfer case and driveably connected to the first output, and a check valve for alternately opening and closing a connection between the first pump and the lube circuit and for opening and closing a connection between the second pump and the lube circuit in response to differential pressure between an outlet of the first pump and an outlet of the second pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventors: Steven G. Thomas, Andreas E. Perakes, Matthew D. Hammond, Steven A. Frait, Monica R. DeGraffenreid, Gregory D. Goleski, Chip Hartinger, Jeffrey E. Maurer
  • Publication number: 20090084205
    Abstract: A power take-off assembly for transmitting rotary power from the powertrain of a motor vehicle includes a torque converter for an automatic transmission and including an impeller shaft connected driveably to a power source, a housing having a opening through a wall of the housing, and a power takeoff gear secured to the impeller shaft, located in the housing, aligned with the opening, and supported for rotation about an axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventors: Steven A. Frait, Robert J. Miller
  • Patent number: 7489126
    Abstract: An assembly that includes a target component mounted for rotation about an axis, a sensor mounted adjacent the inner member and directed toward the inner member to measure the rotational speed of the target component and an outer component interposed between the sensor and the target component. Low magnetic permeability of the outer component is assured by appropriate selection of the material, maintaining the concentration of martensite in the outer component below a reference concentration as indicated by certain reference indices such as the Instability Function, and/or by maintaining the temperature at which a stamping operation is performed on the inner member above a pre-determined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel McCarrick, James Merner, Steven Frait
  • Publication number: 20070152656
    Abstract: An assembly that includes a target component mounted for rotation about an axis, a sensor mounted adjacent the inner member and directed toward the inner member to measure the rotational speed of the target component and an outer component interposed between the sensor and the target component. Low magnetic permeability of the outer component is assured by appropriate selection of the material, maintaining the concentration of martensite in the outer component below a reference concentration as indicated by certain reference indices such as the Instability Function, and/or by maintaining the temperature at which a stamping operation is performed on the inner member above a pre-determined temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Inventors: Daniel McCarrick, James Merner, Steven Frait
  • Patent number: 7218098
    Abstract: An assembly that includes a target component mounted for rotation about an axis, a sensor mounted adjacent the inner member and directed toward the inner member to measure the rotational speed of the target component and an outer component interposed between the sensor and the target component. Low magnetic permeability of the outer component is assured by appropriate selection of the material, maintaining the concentration of martensite in the outer component below a reference concentration as indicated by certain reference indices such as the Instability Function, and/or by maintaining the temperature at which a stamping operation is performed on the inner member above a pre-determined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel McCarrick, James Merner, Steven Frait
  • Publication number: 20050057244
    Abstract: An assembly that includes a target component mounted for rotation about an axis, a sensor mounted adjacent the inner member and directed toward the inner member to measure the rotational speed of the target component and an outer component interposed between the sensor and the target component. Low magnetic permeability of the outer component is assured by appropriate selection of the material, maintaining the concentration of martensite in the outer component below a reference concentration as indicated by certain reference indices such as the Instability Function, and/or by maintaining the temperature at which a stamping operation is performed on the inner member above a pre-determined temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2003
    Publication date: March 17, 2005
    Inventors: Daniel McCarrick, James Merner, Steven Frait