Patents by Inventor William Bruce WITHERSPOON

William Bruce WITHERSPOON 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: 11353067
    Abstract: A coupling assembly arranged between an input shaft and a rotor shaft of a supercharger includes a first hub, a second hub, a central hub, and a plurality of coupler pins. The first hub can be mounted with the input shaft. The second hub can be mounted with the rotor shaft. The central hub can be disposed in between the first and second hubs. The central hub can have an elastomeric body that defines a series of passages therein. The passages can taper inwardly throughout and provide incremental dampening against the first and second plurality of pins. The plurality of coupler pins can be received in the central hub bores. The first and second plurality of pins can be received by the passages in the elastomeric body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited
    Inventors: Mark Harold Pratley, William Bruce Witherspoon, Michael Coates
  • Publication number: 20190360533
    Abstract: A coupling assembly arranged between an input shaft and a rotor shaft of a supercharger includes a first hub, a second hub, a first side coupling assembly, a second side coupling assembly, a central hub and a plurality of coupler pins. The first hub can be mounted with the input shaft. The second hub can be mounted with the rotor shaft. The first side coupling assembly can have a first side coupling body and a first side elastomeric insert. The second side coupling assembly can have a second side coupling body and a second side elastomeric insert. The central hub can define central hub bores therein. The plurality of coupler pins can be received in the central hub bores. The first and second side elastomeric inserts provide dampening between (i) the first side coupling body and the central hub and (ii) the second side coupling body and the central hub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Inventors: Mark Harold Pratley, William Bruce Witherspoon, Michael Coates
  • Patent number: 10415647
    Abstract: A coupling assembly arranged between an input shaft and a rotor shaft of a supercharger includes a first hub, a second hub, a first side coupling assembly, a second side coupling assembly, a central hub and a plurality of coupler pins. The first hub can be mounted with the input shaft. The second hub can be mounted with the rotor shaft. The first side coupling assembly can have a first side coupling body and a first side elastomeric insert. The second side coupling assembly can have a second side coupling body and a second side elastomeric insert. The central hub can define central hub bores therein. The plurality of coupler pins can be received in the central hub bores. The first and second side elastomeric inserts provide dampening between (i) the first side coupling body and the central hub and (ii) the second side coupling body and the central hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Harold Pratley, William Bruce Witherspoon, Michael Coates
  • Patent number: 9982673
    Abstract: A supercharger constructed in accordance to one example of the present disclosure can include a first shaft portion, a coupling assembly, a clutch rotor and a clutch armature. The first shaft portion can be connected to a pulley. The coupling assembly can couple the first shaft portion to a second shaft portion. The first and second shaft portions can be configured to rotate around a common longitudinal axis. The coupling assembly can be configured to provide torsional damping between the first and second shaft portions. The clutch rotor can be mounted to the second shaft portion. The clutch armature can be mounted to a drive shaft and be unconnected to the first and second shaft portion. The clutch rotor and the clutch armature can selectively cooperate in an engaged position and a disengaged position. In the engaged position, the clutch rotor and the clutch armature rotate together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Robert Ouwenga, William Bruce Witherspoon
  • Patent number: 9803697
    Abstract: A coupling assembly arranged between an input shaft and a rotor shaft of a supercharger can include a first coupling, a second coupling, a central hub and a plurality of coupler pins. The first coupling can be mounted for concurrent rotation with the input shaft. The second coupling can be mounted for concurrent rotation with the rotor shaft. The central hub can be disposed intermediate the first and second couplings. The central hub defines central hub bores therein. A plurality of coupler pins can be received in the central hub bores. A first plurality of elastomeric inserts can receive first portions of the plurality of coupler pins. A second plurality of elastomeric inserts can receive second portions of the plurality of coupler pins. The first and second elastomeric inserts can provide dampening between (i) the first coupling and the central hub and (ii) the second coupling and the central hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Eaton Corporation
    Inventors: William Bruce Witherspoon, Thomas Walsh, TouXia Kue, Timothy Kish, John Scott Pierce, Kenneth Arthur Rienas
  • Publication number: 20160356318
    Abstract: A coupling assembly arranged between an input shaft and a rotor shaft of a supercharger includes a first hub, a second hub, a first side coupling assembly, a second side coupling assembly, a central hub and a plurality of coupler pins. The first hub can be mounted with the input shaft. The second hub can be mounted with the rotor shaft. The first side coupling assembly can have a first side coupling body and a first side elastomeric insert. The second side coupling assembly can have a second side coupling body and a second side elastomeric insert. The central hub can define central hub bores therein. The plurality of coupler pins can be received in the central hub bores. The first and second side elastomeric inserts provide dampening between (i) the first side coupling body and the central hub and (ii) the second side coupling body and the central hub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Mark Harold Pratley, William Bruce Witherspoon, Michael Coates
  • Publication number: 20160222966
    Abstract: A supercharger constructed in accordance to one example of the present disclosure can include a first shaft portion, a coupling assembly, a clutch rotor and a clutch armature. The first shaft portion can be connected to a pulley. The coupling assembly can couple the first shaft portion to a second shaft portion. The first and second shaft portions can be configured to rotate around a common longitudinal axis. The coupling assembly can be configured to provide torsional damping between the first and second shaft portions. The clutch rotor can be mounted to the second shaft portion. The clutch armature can be mounted to a drive shaft and be unconnected to the first and second shaft portion. The clutch rotor and the clutch armature can selectively cooperate in an engaged position and a disengaged position. In the engaged position, the clutch rotor and the clutch armature rotate together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Daniel Robert OUWENGA, William Bruce WITHERSPOON
  • Publication number: 20160032985
    Abstract: A coupling assembly arranged between an input shaft and a rotor shaft of a supercharger can include a first coupling, a second coupling, a central hub and a plurality of coupler pins. The first coupling can be mounted for concurrent rotation with the input shaft. The second coupling can be mounted for concurrent rotation with the rotor shaft. The central hub can be disposed intermediate the first and second couplings. The central hub defines central hub bores therein. A plurality of coupler pins can be received in the central hub bores. A first plurality of elastomeric inserts can receive first portions of the plurality of coupler pins. A second plurality of elastomeric inserts can receive second portions of the plurality of coupler pins. The first and second elastomeric inserts can provide dampening between (i) the first coupling and the central hub and (ii) the second coupling and the central hub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventors: William Bruce Witherspoon, Thomas Walsh, TouXia Kue, Timothy Kish, John Scott Pierce, Kenneth Arthur Rienas
  • Publication number: 20150260188
    Abstract: A compressor assembly includes: an input shaft configured to be coupled to an engine of a vehicle; a rotor shaft configured to be coupled to a compressor; a torque transfer module coupled to the input shaft and the rotor shaft, the torque transfer module being configured to transfer torque from the input shaft to the rotor shaft to drive the compressor; and an alignment mechanism that is positioned between the input shaft and the rotor shaft to axially align the input shaft relative to the rotor shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Inventor: William Bruce WITHERSPOON