Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Gregory Daniel Goleski

Jeffrey Edward Maurer

David Allen Janson

Steven Gerald Thomas

David Gon Oh

Donald Edward Hoffman

Matthew David Hammond

Reid Alan Baldwin

Yuji Fujii

Laurence Andrew Deutsch

Gregory Michael Pietron

Steven Anatole Frait

John W Kimes

Bradley Ronald Heuver

Mark William Rosselot

John Edward Brevick

Steve G Thomas

Bryant L Poynter

Joseph F Kucharski

Nimrod Kapas

Andreas Evangelos Perakes

Dennis W Person

Andy Perakes

Bruce Granstrom

David Karl Bidner

Larry Dean Elie

Shailesh Shrikant Kozarekar

John Matthew Ginder

Alvin Henry Berger

Robert Scott Lippert

Charles William Suter

Mark John Jennings

Shiguang Zhou

Dennis Neil Wys

Brad Warren Probert

Ronald Thomas Cowan

Mark E Briscoe

Gregory Dean Gardner

Charles Edward Marshall

Kenneth Leon Nowaczyk

Chip Hartinger

Mark Vaughn Smearsoll

Larry A Deutsch

James Glenn Gibboney

Steven Isaac Klurfeld

Mark Edward Urbaniak

Monica R DeGraffenreid

Srinivas M Arcota

Bhaskar Marathe

Xiaowu Zhang

Xiaoduan Tang

Christopher Joseph Guarracino

A shaft coupler having first and second spindles adapted to be secured to a first and second output shafts of first and second motors, respectively. A locker ring is assembled to the first spindle, and a locker carrier is assembled to the second spindle. A coil is carried by the locker carrier and switches between an energized state wherein the coil shifts the locker ring to slide into engagement with the second spindle to lock the first and second output shafts together, and a deenergized state wherein a spring biases the locker ring out of engagement with the second spindle to unlock the first and second output shafts from each other. A first set of locking teeth are disengaged from a second set of locking teeth when the coil is deenergized, and are engaged when the coil is energized.

Dual motor power unit shaft coupler

A differential includes a disconnect feature. When in a disengaged state, the drive gear is decoupled from the differential carrier. As a result, the portions of the powertrain that would provide propulsion through the differential may be stationary and parasitic drag is decreased. The differential is transitioned into an engaged state by providing electrical current in a solenoid coil fixed to the housing. A solenoid piston acts through a thrust bearing to slide a sleeve, thereby coupling the carrier to the drive gear.

Differential with disconnect

A vehicle includes an engine, an electric machine, a torque converter, a weldment, an engine disconnect clutch, and a torque converter lockup clutch. The engine has a crankshaft. The electric machine has a rotor. The torque converter has an impeller and a turbine. The weldment is configured to rotate about an axis and to transfer power from the crankshaft and the rotor to the impeller. The weldment has a first hub, a second hub, a torque converter cover, an impeller housing, and a third hub. The engine disconnect clutch is configured to rotatably connect and disconnect the crankshaft to and from the weldment. The torque converter lockup clutch is configured to rotatably connect and disconnect the turbine to and from the weldment.

Powertrain system for an electric or a hybrid vehicle

A transmission including an electric machine, a torque converter and a planetary gearset in a transmission housing that is connected to an engine. A turbine shaft is configured to transfer torque from the engine and the electric machine to the planetary gear set. A disconnect clutch selectively couples the input shaft from the engine to the torque converter housing of the torque converter. The disconnect clutch includes a disconnect clutch piston and a first balance dam. A torque converter clutch selectively connects the torque converter housing to the turbine and the turbine shaft. The torque converter clutch includes a torque converter clutch piston and a second balance dam. Ports in the housing permit automatic transmission fluid to flow between the turbine shaft and the torque converter clutch piston; the turbine shaft and the torque converter clutch piston; and the turbine shaft, the first balance dam, and the second balance dam.

Hybrid electric vehicle with a combined torque converter and an electric propulsion motor

A cooling system differential oil contained in the housing of a differential for a vehicle. The differential includes a housing containing a first portion of differential oil. A tank contains a second portion of differential oil. An inlet passage is provided through which differential oil flows from the housing to the tank. An outlet passage is provided through which differential oil flows from the tank to the housing. A valve is disposed in the outlet passage that has a closed position preventing differential oil from flowing through the outlet passage. The valve has an open position in which differential oil is permitted to flow from the tank to the housing in response to the temperature of the differential oil in the housing exceeding a predetermined temperature.

Differential thermal management system

A powertrain includes a first planetary gearset configured to establish a fixedly linear speed relationship among a first rotor, an engine crankshaft, and a second rotor. The powertrain further includes a gearing assembly configured to alternately selectively establish a plurality of proportional speed relationships between the second rotor and an output shaft. The gearing assembly further includes a second planetary gearset having a lockup clutch configured to selectively couple two rotatable elements of the second planetary gearset.

Lockup clutch for powersplit hybrid transmission

A transmission uses a chain and sprocket final drive that provides all final drive torque multiplication in addition to transferring power to the differential axis. The transmission includes a front support structure that provides for a small driving sprocket. The front support includes an insert made of hardened material that can serve as the inner bearing race for the driving sprocket. In some embodiments, four fluid passageways are provided to the torque converter. In some embodiments, the park gear may be integrated with the driven sprocket.

Transaxle having chain final drive

A powertrain includes an engine and an electric machine. The powertrain further includes a planetary gearset including a a first rotatable element fixedly coupled to an engine crankshaft, a second rotatable element fixedly coupled to the electric machine, and a third rotatable element driveably connected to an intermediate shaft. The powertrain further includes a lockup clutch configured to selectively couple two of the first rotatable element, the second rotatable element, and the third rotatable element.

A family of transmission gearing arrangements produces nine forward and one reverse speed ratio by selective engagement of various combinations of three clutches or brakes. Each transmission gearing arrangement includes a front shiftable gearing arrangement configured to establish a variety of speed ratios between an intermediate shaft and an input shaft. These speed ratios include a reverse speed ratio, a zero speed ratio, two underdrive ratios, and a direct ratio. Each transmission also includes a rear shiftable gearing arrangement configured to selectively establish particular speed relationships. Engagement of a clutch in the rear shiftable gearing arrangement establishes an underdrive ratio between the output shaft and the intermediate shaft. Engagement of another clutch in the rear shiftable gearing arrangement constrains the speed of the input shaft to be a weighted average between the speed of the intermediate shaft and the output shaft.

Multiple speed transmission

A transmission includes first, second, and third planetary gear sets (PGS). A first electric machine is fixedly coupled to a sun gear of the first PGS. A second electric machine is fixedly coupled to a carrier of the first PGS. A brake is selectively holding a ring gear of the first PGS against rotation. First and second clutches selectively couple the first and second electric machines, respectively, to a portion of the second and third PGS, respectively.

Multi-mode hybrid powertrain

A hybrid rear axle provides a variety of functionality in addition to the functionality of a non-hybrid axle. The axle transmits power from an electric motor to the drive wheels at two selectable speed ratios to propel the vehicle. One of the two ratios is usable to propel the vehicle electrically with the engine stopped. With the drive wheels stationary, the axle transmits power from the driveshaft to the motor to charge a battery or from the motor to the driveshaft to start the engine.

Axle assembly for hybrid electric vehicle

A four gearing-arrangement transmission having six shift-elements cooperatively engaging in combinations of three to provide nine forward speeds and one reverse speed. The transmission having a first gearing-arrangement with an end-gear fixedly coupled to a ground. A second gearing-arrangement with one end-gear fixedly coupled to an input and the other end-gear fixedly coupled to an interior-gear of the first gearing-arrangement. A third gearing-arrangement having an interior-gear fixedly coupled to an output. A fourth gearing-arrangement having a fourth interior-gear fixedly coupled to the input.

Four planetary-gearset step-ratio automatic transmission

In a pump system for a hybrid electric transmission, the pump is alternately driven by the input shaft and the output shaft, whichever is rotating faster. The input shaft and output shaft are co-axial. Sprockets and a chain transmit power from axis of the input and output shafts to the axis of the pump. The driven sprocket is selectively coupled to the input shaft by a first one-way-clutch and selectively coupled to the output shaft by a second one-way-clutch. Two alternative one-way-clutch and bearing arrangement are disclosed.

Hybrid transmission with dual-drive pump

A transaxle is designed to accommodate a power take-off unit (PTU). The transaxle utilizes a chain to transmit power from the engine axis to the differential axis and utilizes planetary final drive gearing on the differential axis. The transaxle includes layshaft gearing to transfer power from the driven sprocket to a PTU axis, bypassing the planetary final drive gearing. The PTU may be fixedly driveably connected to the driven sprocket or selectively driveably connected via a dog clutch.

Transaxle and power take-off unit

A transmission includes a simple planetary gear set and several clutches. A first clutch selectively couples the carrier of the planetary gear set to a first shell. The housing of the first clutch is integrated with the planetary carrier. A piston return spring extends axially to occupy space between the planet gears. A second and third clutch share a common housing that is fixedly coupled to the ring gear. The second clutch selectively couples the ring gear to the sun gear. The third clutch selectively couples the ring gear to a second shell. The planetary gear set is axially located between the two clutch housings.

Transmission with integrated clutch and gear set

Growing community of inventors

Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Gregory Daniel Goleski