Patents by Inventor Wilson A. Jones
Wilson A. Jones 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: 7594776Abstract: A quick coupler for attaching implements, such as buckets or other tools, to heavy equipment, such as backhoes and excavators, which includes two recesses or channels for receiving a pair of machine pins of an implement. A hydraulic piston actuates a first locking lever to enclose one of the pair of machine pins in one recess and a second locking lever to enclose the other one of the pair of machine pins in the other recess.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2005Date of Patent: September 29, 2009Assignee: Design Partners, LLCInventors: Kenneth M. Steig, Jr., Richard A. Thompson, Robert K. Hawkins, Wilson A. Jones
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Publication number: 20050214105Abstract: A quick coupler for attaching implements, such as buckets or other tools, to heavy equipment, such as backhoes and excavators, which includes two recesses or channels for receiving a pair of machine pins of an implement. A hydraulic piston actuates a first locking lever to enclose one of the pair of machine pins in one recess and a second locking lever to enclose the other one of the pair of machine pins in the other recess.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2005Publication date: September 29, 2005Applicant: Hendrix Manufacturing , Ltd.Inventors: Kenneth Steig, Richard Thompson, Robert Hawkins, Wilson Jones
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Patent number: 6902346Abstract: A quick coupler for attaching implements, such as buckets or other tools, to heavy equipment, such as backhoes and excavators, which includes two recesses or channels for receiving a pair of machine pins of an implement. A hydraulic piston actuates a first locking lever to enclose one of the pair of machine pins in one recess and a second locking lever to enclose the other one of the pair of machine pins in the other recess.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2002Date of Patent: June 7, 2005Assignee: Hendrix Manufacturing, Ltd.Inventors: Kenneth M. Steig, Jr., Richard A. Thompson, Robert K. Hawkins, Wilson A. Jones
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Patent number: 6729434Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system is disclosed in which a torque demand signal (8) is generated and applied to an electric motor (1) operatively connected to a steering mechanism (5) in order to assist a driver of the vehicle when steering the vehicle. The torque demand signal (8) includes a damping component that is dependent upon a measurement of torque T carried by the steering mechanism and a measurement of the angular velocity &ohgr; of the steering mechanism. The torque produced by the motor (1) is not obtrusive during “hands-on” maneuvers but provides enhanced damping in other maneuvers such as a steering flick.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2001Date of Patent: May 4, 2004Assignee: TRW LucasVarity Electric Steering Ltd.Inventors: Simon David Stevens, Anthony Walter Burton, Andrew James Stephen Williams, John Nicholas Cheel, Russell Wilson Jones
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Patent number: 6691817Abstract: An electrical power-assisted steering system is disclosed comprising an electric motor connected through a gearbox to act on a steering mechanism of the vehicle, the electric motor having a plurality of phase windings connected to a star point and switching means provided in at least one phase of the motor, the switching means being movable between a closed position in which current is able to flow in the phase windings, and an open position which prevents current flowing in a respective phase winding. The system incorporates a safety circuit operative when a fault develops to smooth out the transition between the presence and absence of servo support in assisting and not assisting by providing a prescribed period of damped operation as part of a shut-down phase.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2002Date of Patent: February 17, 2004Assignee: TRW LucasVarity Electric Steering Ltd.Inventor: Russell Wilson-Jones
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Patent number: 6637544Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system is disclosed in which a torque demand signal (8) is generated and applied to an electric motor (1) operatively connected to a steering mechanism (5) in order to assist a driver of the vehicle when steering the vehicle. The torque demand signal (8) includes a damping component that is dependent upon a measurement of torque T carried by the steering mechanism and a measurement of the angular velocity &ohgr; of the steering mechanism. The torque produced by the motor (1) is not obtrusive during “hands-on” manoeuvers but provides enhanced damping in other manoeuvers such as a steering flick.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2003Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: TRW Lucas Varity Electric Steering Ltd.Inventors: Simon David Stevens, Anthony Walter Burton, Andrew James Stephen Williams, John Nicholas Cheel, Russell Wilson Jones
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Patent number: 6631781Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling an electric steering assist system, which system provides assist in response to a steering control signal, the apparatus comprising: torque sensing means (20) operatively connected to a vehicle hand wheel (12) for providing a torque signal (Ts) indicative of applied steering torque, blending filter means connected to the torque sensing means (20) for providing a blended filtered torque signal having a first functional characteristic at torque frequencies less than a blending frequency and a second functional characteristic at torque frequencies greater than the blending frequency, the blending filter means including a low pass filter (70) which passes all frequencies below the blending frequency and a high pass filter (71) which passes all frequencies above the blending frequency, steering assist means for providing steering assist in response to a control signal, control means operatively connected to the blending filter means for providing said control signal to the sType: GrantFiled: February 15, 2002Date of Patent: October 14, 2003Assignee: TRW Lucas Varity Electric Steering, Ltd.Inventors: Andrew James Stephen Williams, Russell Wilson Jones, Anthony Walter Burton, Simon David Stevens, Kevin McLaughlin
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Publication number: 20030175072Abstract: A quick coupler for attaching implements, such as buckets or other tools, to heavy equipment, such as backhoes and excavators, which includes two recesses or channels for receiving a pair of machine pins of an implement. A hydraulic piston actuates a first locking lever to enclose one of the pair of machine pins in one recess and a second locking lever to enclose the other one of the pair of machine pins in the other recess.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2002Publication date: September 18, 2003Applicant: Hendrix Manufacturing Company, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth M. Steig, Richard A. Thompson, Robert K. Hawkins, Wilson A. Jones
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Patent number: 6597141Abstract: A method of calculating the position of the rotor of a motor (1) in for example an electrical power assisted steering assembly is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of measuring the output shaft (2) (i.e. steering column) position, and scaling the measured value to produce an estimated motor rotor position value. This estimated value will be relative to an arbitrary datum point, and so the method further includes steps of adding an offset value derived from low resolution measurements of rotor position obtained using Hall effect sensors provided on the motor. Offsets for compensating for backlash and (in a second embodiment) compliance can also be included. Thus, the method allows high resolution information from an output shaft sensor (e.g. a torque sensor with a position dependent output) to be combined with the low resolution output from the Hall effect sensors to produce a high resolution rotor position signal.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2000Date of Patent: July 22, 2003Assignee: TRW LucasVarity Electric Steering Ltd.Inventors: Russell Wilson-Jones, Anthony Walter Burton, Andrew James Stephen Williams, John Michael Ironside
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Patent number: 6597136Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system of the kind in which an electric motor is operatively connected to a steering assembly through a gearbox to apply an assistance torque to the steering assembly and in which the steering assembly includes a steering column coupled at one end to a driver's handwheel and at the other end to steerable wheels, a means being provided for generating a signal representative of the velocity of rotation of the steering column. The system includes a high pass filter which is adapted to generate, for frequencies below a prescribed threshold, a signal at least approximately proportional to steering column acceleration and representative of the inertia of the rotor of the electric motor, the latter signal being arranged to be used to compensate for the motor rotor inertia in an overall assistance torque demand as developed by the system.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2001Date of Patent: July 22, 2003Assignee: TRW LucasVarity Electric Steering Ltd.Inventors: Anthony Walter Burton, Simon David Stevens, Russell Wilson Jones, Marie Saunier, Tom Michael Richard Ernest Roberts
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Publication number: 20030132053Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system is disclosed in which a torque demand signal (8) is generated and applied to an electric motor (1) operatively connected to a steering mechanism (5) in order to assist a driver of the vehicle when steering the vehicle. The torque demand signal (8) includes a damping component that is dependent upon a measurement of torque T carried by the steering mechanism and a measurement of the angular velocity o) of the steering mechanism. The torque produced by the motor (1) is not obtrusive during “hands-on” manoeuvres but provides enhanced damping in other manoeuvres such as a steering flick.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2003Publication date: July 17, 2003Applicant: TRW Lucas Varity Steering Ltd.Inventors: Simon David Stevens, Anthony Walter Burton, Andrew James Stephen Williams, John Nicholas Cheel, Russell Wilson Jones
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Publication number: 20030024759Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling an electric steering assist system, which system provides assist in response to a steering control signal, the apparatus comprising: torque sensing means (20) operatively connected to a vehicle hand wheel (12) for providing a torque signal (TS) indicative of applied steering torque, blending filter means connected to the torque sensing means (20) for providing a blended filtered torque signal having a first functional characteristic at torque frequencies less than a blending frequency and a second functional characteristic at torque frequencies greater than the blending frequency, the blending filter means including a low pass filter (70) which passes all frequencies below the blending frequency and a high pass filter (71) which passes all frequencies above the blending frequency, steering assist means for providing steering assist in response to a control signal, control means operatively connected to the blending filter means for providing said control signal to the sType: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2002Publication date: February 6, 2003Inventors: Andrew James Stephen Williams, Russell Wilson Jones, Anthony Walter Burton, Simon David Stevens, Kevin McLaughlin
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Publication number: 20020125845Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system of the kind in which an electric motor is operatively connected to a steering assembly through a gearbox to apply an assistance torque to the steering assembly and in which the steering assembly includes a steering column coupled at one end to a driver's handwheel and at the other end to steerable wheels, a means being provided for generating a signal representative of the velocity of rotation of the steering column. The system includes a high pass filter which is adapted to generate, for frequencies below a prescribed threshold, a signal at least approximately proportional to steering column acceleration and representative of the inertia of the rotor of the electric motor, the latter signal being arranged to be used to compensate for the motor rotor inertia in an overall assistance torque demand as developed by the system.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2001Publication date: September 12, 2002Applicant: TRW LucasVarity Electric Steering LimitedInventors: Anthony Walter Burton, Simon David Stevens, Russell Wilson Jones, Marie Saunier, Tom Michael Richard Ernest Roberts
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Patent number: 6448738Abstract: A motor control strategy for use in combination with an electric motor (1) having a number of phase windings (201, 202, 203) is disclosed, the motor (1) being adapted to produce an output torque in response to current in the windings comprising the steps of during normal operation generating a motor torque demand signal indicative of the output torque required from the motor (1), applying a first set of currents to the windings of the motor in response to the motor torque demand signal to produce a first output torque from the motor and during a test operation to enable diagnostics to be performed generating a motor current demand signal indicative of the total current required in the motor windings (201, 202, 203) and adjusting the currents applied to one or more of the windings in response to both the torque demand signal and the motor current demand signal, whereby the adjusted currents produced in the windings are substantially equal to the total current demanded by the motor current demand signal regardlType: GrantFiled: May 10, 1999Date of Patent: September 10, 2002Assignee: TRW Lucas Varity Electric Steering Ltd.Inventors: Anthony Walter Burton, Steven John Horton, Andrew James Stephen Williams, John Michael Ironside, Russell Wilson Jones
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Publication number: 20020117349Abstract: An electrical power-assisted steering system is disclosed comprising an electric motor connected through a gearbox to act on a steering mechanism of the vehicle, the electric motor having a plurality of phase windings connected to a star point and switching means provided in at least one phase of the motor, the switching means being movable between a closed position in which current is able to flow in the phase windings, and an open position which prevents current flowing in a respective phase winding, The system incorporates a safety circuit operative when a fault develops to smooth out the transition between the presence and absence of servo support in assisting and not assisting by providing a prescribed period of damped operation as part of a shut-down phase.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2002Publication date: August 29, 2002Inventor: Russell Wilson-Jones
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Patent number: 6354396Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system is disclosed which comprises a steering shaft connected at one end to the handwheel and at its other end to at least one roadwheel, while an electric motor is connected to the steering a gearbox having a non-integer reduction gear ratio. Two sensors are also provided with one sensing the angular position of the motor rotor and the other sensing the angular position of the steering shaft. The presence of the non-integer gear ratio produces a beat frequency between the output of the two sensors from which an unambiguous measurement of the angular position of the steering shaft over a range of greater than one complete revolution can be made. The sensors may comprise either absolute position sensors or index-type sensors.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2000Date of Patent: March 12, 2002Assignee: TRW LucasVarity Electric Steering Ltd.Inventors: Steven John Horton, Russell Wilson-Jones, Simon David Stevens
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Publication number: 20020017421Abstract: An electric power assisted steering system is disclosed in which a torque demand signal (8) is generated and applied to an electric motor (1) operatively connected to a steering mechanism (5) in order to assist a driver of the vehicle when steering the vehicle. The torque demand signal (8) includes a damping component that is dependent upon a measurement of torque T carried by the steering mechanism and a measurement of the angular velocity &ohgr; of the steering mechanism. The torque produced by the motor (1) is not obtrusive during “hands-on” maneuvers but provides enhanced damping in other maneuvers such as a steering flick.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2001Publication date: February 14, 2002Applicant: TRW LucasVarity Electric Steering Ltd.Inventors: Simon David Stevens, Anthony Walter Burton, Andrew James Stephen Williams, John Nicholas Cheel, Russell Wilson Jones
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Patent number: 6330140Abstract: A circuit is provided for testing a drive stage of an actuator, such as a motor of an EPAS system. A power supply circuit comprises a contact for supplying normal drive stage current and a resistor for supplying reduced drive stage current before the normal current is supplied. A measuring circuit measures a drive stage electrical parameter such as supply voltage and a comparator compares this with an acceptable value. If the measured parameter corresponds to a current through the drive stage which is different from an expected value, a fault is signaled and the contact is prevented from closing.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 1999Date of Patent: December 11, 2001Assignee: TRW Lucas Varity Electric Steering LimitedInventors: Russell Wilson-Jones, John Michael Ironside
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Patent number: 6282472Abstract: An electrical power assisted steering system is disclosed having a boost curve which has inverse symmetry about a zero input torque value, each half of the boost curve comprising a first portion defined by a first polynomial equation between a zero value and a first value, and a second portion defined by a second polynomial between a second value and a third value, in which the gradient of the first portion of the curve at the first value is equal to the gradient of the second portion of the curve at the second value. By storing values for the first, second and third values and the gradient of each polynomial at those values a smooth boost curve can be defined by storing only a small amount of parameters.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 1999Date of Patent: August 28, 2001Assignee: TRW LucasVarity Electric Steering Ltd.Inventors: Russell Wilson Jones, Andrew James Stephen Williams
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Patent number: 6266591Abstract: A controller for an electric power assisted steering system comprises a drive circuit (2) for controlling current to a motor (1) and a data processor (8) for controlling the motor current and hence assistance torque. A circuit (9) generates a current limit which is a monotonically decreasing function of vehicle speed. A comparator (6) compares motor current with the current limit and switches off the drive circuit (2) if the current limit is exceeded.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 1998Date of Patent: July 24, 2001Assignee: TRW LucasVarity Electric Steering LimitedInventors: Russell Wilson-Jones, Steven J Horton