Eaton Corporation

Strattec Security Corporation

Gregory J Organek

David M Preston

Steven J Dimig

Michael G Feucht

Alan Ritz

David Allen Janson

Scott M Town

Ben Dimig

Paul C Waller

Thomas A Genise

Jon A Steeby

Ronald K Markyvech

William J Mack

Daniel G Smedley

Kyle J Beutin

Adam Pirkey

Mark S Paulson

A cancellation device for an automotive feature on a vehicle includes a lever to be manually moved relative to the vehicle from a first, neutral position to a second, non-neutral position to actuate the motor vehicle feature. The cancellation device also includes at least one magnet to move the lever back to the first, neutral position.

Cancellation device for an automotive feature

A cancellation device for an automotive feature on a vehicle includes a lever configured to be manually moved relative to the vehicle from a first, neutral position to a second, non-neutral position to actuate the automotive feature. The cancellation device also includes a detent pawl coupled to the lever such that the detent pawl moves with the lever, a detent spring configured to bias the detent pawl, a centering spring configured to bias the lever back to the first, neutral position, and a magnet configured to generate a force to hold the lever in the second, non-neutral position.

Residual magnetic locks, brakes, rotation inhibitors, clutches, actuators, and latches. The residual magnetic devices can include a core housing and an armature. The residual magnetic devices can include a coil that receives a magnetization current to create an irreversible residual magnetic force between the core housing and the armature.

Residual magnetic devices and methods

An ignition lock steering column lock includes a locking unit including a lockbolt selectively engageable with a steering member to prevent its rotation. A driver is operable to rotate about an axis in response to rotation of a key cylinder via a matched key. A solenoid assembly selectively prevents rotation of the driver. An armature of the solenoid assembly is movable toward a core when electric current is conducted through a coiled wire. The armature has a shape generally defining a plane and includes an axial end face configured to selectively interfere with an abutment of the driver such that force on the armature from the abutment in response to attempted rotation of the driver is directed generally along the plane.

Ignition lock steering column lock assembly

An ignition lock steering column lock includes a locking unit of the type having a lockbolt, a lockbolt carrier, and a spring-biased carrier pin engageable by a post slidably provided on a rotatable driver. The carrier pin is positioned on a steering column side of the driver. The operational positions of the lock are provided by detents formed on the driver.

A latch includes a catch pivotable about a first axis between a latched position for retaining a striker and an unlatched position for releasing the striker. The catch has a cam surface. A pawl is pivotable about a second axis and is engageable with the cam surface of the catch. In some embodiments, the pawl secures the catch in the latched position by resting on a first portion of the cam surface, the curvature of which is substantially concentric with the second axis when the catch is in the latched position. The pawl is movable off of the first portion of the cam surface to release the catch from the latched position. The catch can be drivable toward the latched position by the pawl.

Latch mechanism and latching method

Residual magnetic devices and methods for an ignition actuation blockage device

An improved lubrication system for a ball ramp master clutch and a gear change transmission is disclosed where a lubricant pump is driven by the input shaft to a ball ramp mechanism which, when energized, applies a clamping force on a clutch pack where lubricant is supplied to the pump from a wet sump on the transmission and then lubricant is forced into the clutch assembly and also forced into the gear shaft transmission for eventual return into the sump for recirculation. In an alternate embodiment, a dry sump system is used where the oil flowing out of the transmission is pumped to dry sump where it is then recirculated to the pump.

Lubrication system for ball ramp clutch systems

A driveline master clutch assembly is disclosed where a unidirectional ball ramp mechanism is used to apply a clamping load to a clutch pack for frictionally coupling a prime mover such as an engine to a gear change transmission. The ball ramp mechanism includes index plates to limit the rotation of a control ring and an activation ring such that the energized ball ramp mechanism increases in separation distance to increase the clamping force on the clutch pack whenever there is slippage in the clutch pack irregardless of the direction of torque flow through the master clutch assembly.

Ball ramp clutch with indexing plates

A ball ramp mechanism is used to apply an axial force in the same regardless of the direction of the flow of torque whenever there is relative rotation between an input shaft and an output hub using unidirectional grooves in both a control ring and an activation ring where a first index plate limits the rotation of the activation ring and a second index plate limits the rotation of the control ring relative to the input shaft. An electrical coil is used to induce a magnetic field in a coil pole to magnetically couple a coil armature to an intermediate plate and the intermediate plate to an activation plate to energize the ball ramp mechanism.

Ball ramp actuator with indexing plates

A ball ramp mechanism is used to apply a clamping load to a clutch pack to rotationally couple an input shaft to an output shaft. The ball ramp mechanism is comprised of a control plate having a control extension radially extending therefrom and an activation plate having an activation extension radially extending therefrom and an intermediate plate disposed between the control extension and the activation extension where the control extension and the activation extension and the intermediate plate are frictionally rotationally coupled upon application of an electromagnetic field generated by a stationary coil acting through a rotating coil armature to activate the ball ramp mechanism. A gap sleeve contacts the control plate and the activation extension to limit the separation between the control extension, the intermediate plate and the activation extension. The activation plate is mounted to the input shaft through a first one-way clutch and the coil armature is mounted to the input shaft through a second one-way clutch when the first one-way clutch is oriented opposite to the second one-way clutch.

Ball ramp clutch with frictional damping

A friction brake assembly for applying a braking torque to a rotating shaft such as a transmission output shaft utilizing a primary ball ramp mechanism having a control ring and activation ring with opposed variable depth grooves and rolling members disposed therebetween to load a friction brake in response to a secondary ball ramp mechanism which creates a braking torque on the control ring to activate the primary ball ramp mechanism in response to the rotation of a control lever. Rolling members disposed in opposed variable depth grooves formed in the control lever and a control plate force the control plate towards a housing extension thereby applying a friction force to a clamp ring where the clamp ring is connected to the control ring of the primary ball ramp mechanism using a flex extension to allow relative axial movement between the clamp ring and the control ring. In this manner, the friction brake assembly of the present invention can function as a vehicle parking brake.

Growing community of inventors

Whitefish Bay, WI, United States of America

Gregory J Organek