Patents by Inventor Theodore E. Shaffer
Theodore E. Shaffer 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: 6176800Abstract: A control valve (80) of a hydraulic coupling (32) controls pumping from a casing inlet port (58) by a hydraulic pump (48) through a casing outlet port (78) to control coupling between two rotary members such as by operation of a clutch (68). The casing (34) is connected to one of the rotary members while a pumping component embodied by an impeller (50) is connected to the other rotary member and meshed with an internal ring gear (54) having one more tooth than the number of impeller teeth to provide sufficient pumping capacity so that the pump can act as a brake while still having relatively constant pumping pressure. The control valve (80) includes an elongated valve element (82) mounted within a recess (98) to provide accurate control of its closure when the pumped hydraulic fluid reaches a predetermined pressure corresponding to a predetermined extent of relative rotation between the two drivetrain members.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 1999Date of Patent: January 23, 2001Assignee: McLaren Automotive Group, Inc.Inventors: Theodore E. Shaffer, Murat N. Okcuoglu
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Patent number: 5961106Abstract: A vehicle shock absorber assembly (20) for use with a vehicle suspension system (12) having a lower unsprung mount (14) and an upper sprung mount (16) is constructed to provide height adjustment by introduction or removal of hydraulic fluid from an enclosed chamber (44) defined between a cylinder housing (22) of a shock absorber (20) and a height adjustment cylinder (36). A spring seat (56) connected to the shock absorber cylinder housing (22) seats the lower end of a suspension spring (18) whose upper end is seated with respect to the upper sprung mount (16).Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 1998Date of Patent: October 5, 1999Inventor: Theodore E. Shaffer
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Patent number: 5941788Abstract: A vehicle drivetrain differential (22) driven by a rotary drive member (24) rotatively drives a pair of rotary members (26, 28) and includes a housing (30) for containing hydraulic fluid and in which a hydraulic coupling (32) is received. A casing (34) of the hydraulic coupling has a ring gear (44) rotatively driven by the rotary drive member (24). A planetary gear set (36) of the bevel gear type is located within the casing (34) and includes a pair of bevel gears (124, 126) having associated spline connections (128, 130) to the pair of rotary members (26, 28), and the planetary gear set also includes planet gears 132 that revolve with the casing 34 and are meshed with both bevel gears to provide a differential gear action. A fluid inlet 58 and an outlet port 78 of the casing are provided with a gerotor type pump (48) provides pumping of hydraulic fluid into and out of the casing.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 1997Date of Patent: August 24, 1999Assignee: Asha CorporationInventors: Theodore E. Shaffer, Murat N. Okcuoglu
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Patent number: 5888163Abstract: A control valve (80) of a hydraulic coupling (32) controls pumping from a casing inlet port (58) by a hydraulic pump (48) through a casing outlet port (78) to control coupling between two rotary members such as by operation of a clutch (68). The casing (34) is connected to one of the rotary members while a pumping component embodied by an impeller (50) is connected to the other rotary member and meshed with an internal ring gear (54) having one more tooth than the number of impeller teeth to provide sufficient pumping capacity so that the pump can act as a brake while still having relatively constant pumping pressure. The control valve (80) includes an elongated valve element (82) mounted within a recess (98) to provide accurate control of its closure when the pumped hydraulic fluid reaches a predetermined pressure corresponding to a predetermined extent of relative rotation between the two drivetrain members.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 1998Date of Patent: March 30, 1999Assignee: ASHA CorporationInventors: Theodore E. Shaffer, Murat N. Okcuoglu
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Patent number: 5735764Abstract: A control valve (80) of a hydraulic coupling (32) controls pumping from a casing inlet port (58) by a hydraulic pump (48) through a casing outlet port (78) to control coupling between two rotary members such as by operation of a clutch (68). The casing (34) is connected to one of the rotary members while a pumping component embodied by an impeller (50) is connected to the other rotary member and meshed with an internal ring gear (54) having one more tooth than the number of impeller teeth to provide sufficient pumping capacity so that the pump can act as a brake while still having relatively constant pumping pressure. The control valve (80) includes an elongated valve element (82) mounted within a recess (98) to provide accurate control of its closure when the pumped hydraulic fluid reaches a predetermined pressure corresponding to a predetermined extent of relative rotation between the two drivetrain members.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 1996Date of Patent: April 7, 1998Assignee: ASHA CorporationInventors: Theodore E. Shaffer, Murat N. Okcuoglu
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Patent number: 5611746Abstract: A hydraulic coupling (32,32a) includes a lock (204) for selectively preventing the level of torque transmitted from a coupling casing (34) to a pair of rotary members (26,28) from affecting torque transfer between the rotary members. The coupling (32) also includes an adjuster (216) for adjusting resistance of fluid flow from a hydraulic pump (48) through ports of the coupling to control coupling of the pair of rotary members (26,28) to each other. One embodiment of the coupling (32) operates in a supercharged pumping manner, while another embodiment of the coupling (32a) pumps the fluid through a clutch actuating piston (72) of the coupling.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 1995Date of Patent: March 18, 1997Assignee: Asha CorporationInventor: Theodore E. Shaffer
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Patent number: 5595214Abstract: A control valve (80) of a hydraulic coupling (32) controls pumping from a casing inlet port (58) by a hydraulic pump (48) through a casing outlet port (78) to control coupling between two rotary members such as by operation of a clutch (68). The casing (34) is connected to one of the rotary members while a pumping component embodied by an impeller (50) is connected to the other rotary member and meshed with an internal ring gear (54) having one more tooth than the number of impeller teeth to provide sufficient pumping capacity so that the pump can act as a brake while still having relatively constant pumping pressure. The control valve (80) includes an elongated valve element (82) mounted within a recess (98) to provide accurate control of its closure when the pumped hydraulic fluid reaches a predetermined pressure corresponding to a predetermined extent of relative rotation between the two drivetrain members.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: January 21, 1997Assignee: Asha CorporationInventors: Theodore E. Shaffer, Murat N. Okcuoglu
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Patent number: 5536215Abstract: A hydraulic coupling (32) includes a control valve (80) that controls pumping from a casing inlet port (58) by a hydraulic pump (48) through a casing outlet port (78) to control operation of a clutch (68) for coupling between two rotary members. The casing (34) is connected to one of the rotary members while a pumping component embodied by an impeller (50) is connected to the other rotary member and meshed with an internal ring gear (54) having one more tooth than the number of impeller teeth to provide sufficient pumping capacity so that the pump can act as a brake while still having relatively constant pumping pressure. The control valve (80) includes a by metallic valve element (82) mounted within a recess (98) to provide accurate temperature compensated control of its closure when the pumped hydraulic fluid reaches a predetermined pressure corresponding to a predetermined extent of relative rotation between the two drivetrain members.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 1994Date of Patent: July 16, 1996Assignee: ASHA CorporationInventors: Theodore E. Shaffer, Murat N. Okcuoglu
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Patent number: 5310388Abstract: A hydraulic coupling (32) includes a control valve (80) that controls pumping from a casing inlet port (58) by a hydraulic pump (48) through a casing outlet port (78) to control coupling between two rotary members. The casing (34) is connected to one of the rotary members while an impeller (50) having between five and seven external teeth is connected to the other rotary member and meshed with an internal ring gear (54) having one more tooth than the number of impeller teeth to provide sufficient pumping capacity so that the pump can act as a brake while still having relatively constant pumping pressure. The control valve (80) includes a bimetallic valve element (82) that compensates for temperature changes and may also include a speed sensitive valve closure (104) for providing immediate coupling without delay above certain speeds of operation. Mounting of the bimetallic valve element (82) of control valve (80) within a recess (98) provides accurate control of the temperature compensation.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 1993Date of Patent: May 10, 1994Assignee: ASHA CorporationInventors: Murat N. Okcuoglu, Theodore E. Shaffer