Patents by Inventor Valerie Annette Ross

Valerie Annette Ross 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).

  • Torque converter and a method for cooling a clutch assembly of the torque converter
    Patent number: 9970523
    Abstract: A torque converter includes a housing, and an impeller shell disposed within the housing. The impeller shell has a back wall, and a plurality of fins radially arranged and extending outwardly from the back wall. The torque converter further includes a backing hub rigidly coupled to the back wall of the impeller shell. The backing hub has a barrier element extending therefrom. A free end of the barrier element is disposed proximal to the housing to restrict a flow of fluid therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Valerie Annette Ross, Xuekui Lan, Jim Wu, Qinyang Rao, Timothy M. Waters, Weixue Tian
  • TORQUE CONVERTER AND A METHOD FOR COOLING A CLUTCH ASSEMBLY OF THE TORQUE CONVERTER
    Publication number: 20170059022
    Abstract: A torque converter includes a housing, and an impeller shell disposed within the housing. The impeller shell has a back wall, and a plurality of fins radially arranged and extending outwardly from the back wall. The torque converter further includes a backing hub rigidly coupled to the back wall of the impeller shell. The backing hub has a barrier element extending therefrom. A free end of the barrier element is disposed proximal to the housing to restrict a flow of fluid therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Valerie Annette Ross, Xuekui Lan, Jim Wu, Qinyang Rao, Timothy M. Waters, Weixue Tian