Ford Motor Company Limited

Visteon Global Technolgoies, Inc.

Other

Progressive Concepts, Inc.

Richard Kenneth Harris

Michael Timothy York

Steven John Yockey

Kevin Roy Harpenau

Michael John Hatsios

Stephen Edward Tyrer

Steve John Yockey

Jayeson David Fougner

David W Linden

Duane Rasmussen

A variable width backhoe bucket having a width that is reversibly adjustable between a minimum value and a maximum value, comprising: a middle shell, flanking first and second side shells, and a constrained guidance system. The middle shell has a curved bottom, first and second opposite sides, and first and second opposite ends. Each side shell defines a bottom and a side panel such that the side shells are in substantially mirror symmetry with respect to each other. The constrained guidance system comprises a plurality of elongated male members, a plurality of complementary elongated female members, and a first and second oppositely opposed hydraulic cylinders each with one opposite end attached to the middle shell and the other end attached to one of the two side shells for moving the side shells in and out relative to the middle shell.

Variable width backhoe bucket

An alternator includes an inner housing and an outer housing. A pair of o-rings positioned therebetween create a sealed flow chamber having a first flow channel, a second flow channel and an axial passageway. The first flow channel is a disk shaped cavity extending diametrically across the alternator. The second flow channel forms an annular jacket extending entirely around the alternator. The axial passageway directs coolant axially from the first flow channel into the second flow channel. An inlet positioned diametrically across from the axial passageway allows coolant to enter the first flow channel, such that coolant entering the inlet must flow diametrically across the alternator to reach the axial passageway. An outlet positioned diametrically across from the axial passageway allows coolant to exit the flow chamber, such that coolant entering the second flow channel must travel annularly around the alternator to reach the outlet.

Flow path for a liquid cooled alternator

An automotive alternator includes an inner housing assembly, an outer housing assembly mounted over the inner housing assembly, and an internal plate mounted within the outer housing assembly. The inner housing assembly, the outer housing assembly, and the internal plate define a sealed flow chamber. The flow chamber includes an inlet reservoir and an outlet reservoir located adjacent a first end, and a cross over reservoir located adjacent a second end. The inner housing assembly includes a plurality of radially extending axial fins. The fins extend outward from the sleeve toward the outer housing to define a plurality of axial flow channels. A first portion of the flow channels interconnects the inlet reservoir to the cross over reservoir and a second portion of the flow channels interconnects the cross over reservoir to the outlet reservoir.

Liquid cooled alternator having finned stator sleeve

An rotor assembly for use with an electrical machine. Assembly includes two opposing and selectively intermeshing pole pieces . Each pole piece has a body 16 and a plurality of integrally formed and outwardly extending projections or pole fingers . A plurality of magnets are each fixedly secured, by use of swaged portions , within a unique one of several slots which are cooperatively formed between a unique one of fingers and a unique portion of body of pole pieces

Rotor assembly

A bracket assembly for supporting golf bags on a golf cart and for supporting a rearwardly extending canopy assembly having a canopy and a canopy frame structure. The golf cart having a body, a frame supporting the body, a seating compartment and a golf bag compartment located rearwardly of the seating compartment. The bracket assembly including at least one support member, a mounting mechanism to mount the support member to the cart's frame and a strap for securing the upper portion of golf bags resting in the golf bag storage compartment. In addition, the bracket assembly includes a pivotal joint for pivotally connecting the canopy frame structure to the support member to enable the canopy to be extended to cover the golf bags or folded out of the way to provide access to the golf bags.

Golf cart canopy and bag support bracket

An improved canopy assembly for attaching a rearwardly extending protective canopy to a motorized golf cart of the type having a top covering the passenger seating area and an uncovered bag storage area reward of the seating area that includes a golf bag support bracket that prevents the golf bags from tipping over. The canopy assembly includes a mounting channel secured to the rearward portion of the top of the golf cart, a base member that attaches directly to the golf bag support bracket, a frame that pivotally attaches to the base member and a sheet of flexible water resistant material attached to the channel and suspended over the frame. The canopy assembly may be extended where the protective canopy substantially covers the cart's golf bag storage area protecting the bags from rainfall. The canopy assembly may be folded where the protective canopy is moved out of the way allowing golf clubs to be removed from the golf bags without hitting the canopy assembly.

Canopy rain cover for a golf cart

A brush holder assembly ( ) for a rotating electrical machine such as an alternator ( ) has a cavity ( ) therein. The cavity ( ) is defined by a first wall ( ), a second wall ( ), a third wall ( ), and a fourth wall ( ). The cavity ( ) is sized to receive a brush ( ) of the rotating electrical machine. One of the walls ( ), ( ), ( ), and ( ) comprise a first drafted surface. A positioning rib ( ) is provided on at least the drafted surface to position the brush ( ) substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis ( ) of the cavity ( ).

Liquid cooled alternator brush holder ribs

An electrical machine such as an alternator (,) has a first housing (,) and a second housing (,) with a stator core assembly (,) therein. The stator core assembly has a plurality of windings (,) that are positioned within laminations (,). The windings have a first set of end turns (,), a second set of end turns (,), and winding ends,A respective first end cap (,) and a second end cap (,) are placed over respective end turns (,) (,). Potting material (,) is placed between the first end cap (,) and the first set of end turns (,) and the second end cap (,) and the second set of end turns (,). A stud assembly (,) having a stud housing (,) and a plurality of studs (,) is coupled to the first end cap. A bushing (,) is coupled to the studs (,) so that winding ends (,) may be coupled to a flat surface (,) thereof. The bushings (,) are also used to from an electrical connection between the rectifier bridge (,) and the stator core (,).

Electrical connection apparatus and method for connecting an alternator stator

An assembly (,) for use with a rotating electric machine has a first injection-molded plastic part (,), a second injection-molded plastic part (,), and a third injection-molded plastic part (,). Parts (,) are a bearing sleeve and a brush holder respectively, while part (,) is a cap. The bearing sleeve has a transverse wall (,) from which channels (,) extend in one direction. A cylindrical wall extends in the other direction to form a bearing cup (,) for receiving a bearing assembly. The brush holder has two side-by-side brush guides (,) each containing a respective brush (,). It also has two channels (,) that interlock with the channels of the bearing sleeve to accurately and rigidly place the two parts (,) in assembly. The cap closes an axial end of the bearing sleeve and attaches to the brush holder. The parts are further characterized by various structural features, as well as fabrication and assembly methods.

Alternator bearing sleeve, brush holder, and cap system

An rotor assembly,for use with an electrical machine. Assembly,includes two opposing and selectively intermeshing pole pieces,Each pole piece,has a body,and a plurality of integrally formed and outwardly extending projections or pole fingers,A plurality of magnets,are each fixedly secured, by use of swaged portions,within a unique one of several slots,which are cooperatively formed between a unique one of fingers,and a unique portion of body,of pole pieces

An liquid-cooling system for an electrical machine comprises a rotor mounted on a shaft for rotation therewith and defining an axis of rotation, and a stator disposed coaxially with and in opposition to the rotor. The stator has stator windings, the stator windings having an axially-extending portion. The electrical machine further comprises a housing enclosing the stator and the rotor, the housing having an axial end, the axial end having a wall with an inner surface and an outer surface. The electrical machine also includes a cooling tube having a first end and a second end and an embedded portion thereof embedded between the first inner surface and the first outer surface, the embedded portion of the cooling tube located in substantial axial alignment with the axially-extending portion of the stator windings. In another aspect of this design, the inner surface of the wall of the axial end of the housing is substantially flat and is separated from an axial end of the rotor by an air gap. In a third aspect of this design, the housing of the electrical machine comprises a front housing portion and a rear housing portion. The front housing portion defines a first circumferentially-extending channel which encloses a first axially-extending portion of the stator windings and the rear housing portion defines a second circumferentially-extending channel which encloses a second axially-extending portion of the stator windings. Designs as disclosed herein provide effective cooling of an electrical machine while supporting packaging-efficient electrical machine designs.

Liquid-cooled electrical machine

A lightweight golf club and accessory carrier for transporting and retaining a plurality of golf clubs, tees, balls marker and score keeping pencil in a compact package size. The carrier is made out of a flexible plastic material in the form of a single injection molded body comprising a handle connected to the inside surfaces near the top of two downwardly extending end walls. Near the bottom of the device, a ball carrier extends between the inside surface of each end wall. The ball carrier is design to hold three golf balls within a flexible plastic structure that enables the balls to be installed or removed from either the from or back of the carrier. A plurality of flexible club holding clips extend off of the outside and inside surfaces of each end wall and are configured to retain the shaft of a typical golf club. In addition, a plurality of tee mounts, a ball marker mount and a pencil mount the outside surfaces of the end walls and are configured to hold golf tees, a ball marker score keeping pencil respectively.

Golf club and accessory carrier

The present invention is directed to an apparatus for carrying in-line skates and accessories. The in-line skates have blades that have at least two adjacent wheels and at least one substantially enclosed opening. The apparatus comprising a continuous plastic molded body consisting of a support structure with an extending member forming a handle. The support structure has a pair of outwardly extending flexible tabs sized to secure a hockey puck or ball between them. On the opposite side of the handle are two outwardly extending flexible extensions that are opposed to each other forming a channel that is sized to tightly fit the shaft of a hockey stick allowing the user to secure a hockey stick to the apparatus. In addition, the support structure includes a first and second vertical member appropriately spaced apart that extend downward from the main body of the support structure and are opposed to each other. A rod is permanently attached to the first vertical member and extends toward the second vertical member on a slightly downward angle ending slightly beyond the second vertical member. The second vertical member's end that is closest to the rod has a cutout shape to allow the diameter of the rod to be snap fit into a cutout in the end of this second vertical member. While in the unsnapped position, the end of the rod can be slid through a substantially enclosed opening on an in-line skate such as the opening between the blade and the boot. The procedure can be repeated with a second in-line skate and then the rod's free end can be snap fit into the second vertical members notched end to securely retain the skates on the rod.

Carrier device

In one embodiment of the present invention, a rotor for an electrical machine comprises a first pole piece and a second pole piece together defining an axis of rotation of the rotor, each pole piece comprising a generally disc-shaped body having a circumference. Each pole piece further has a plurality of angularly-spaced pole fingers extending axially from the circumference of the body of the pole piece. The rotor additionally includes a plurality of permanent magnets, each permanent magnet affixed to a body of a pole piece between two pole fingers of the pole piece. In a second embodiment, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a rotor for an electrical machine, the rotor comprising a first pole piece and a second pole piece together defining an axis of rotation of the rotor, each pole piece comprising a generally disc-shaped body having a circumference, each pole piece further comprising a plurality of angularly-spaced pole fingers extending axially from the circumference of the body of the pole piece, each body of each pole piece further defining a plurality of radially-outwardly-opening recesses between adjacent pole fingers of the pole piece. The method comprises affixing permanent magnets into at least some of the recesses. In some embodiments, the present invention facilitates the use of generally-conventional Lundell electrical machine technology, but with considerably increased power output per unit volume of the machine.

Rotating electrical machine with permanent magnet inserts

A rotor for an electrical machine according to one embodiment of the present invention includes first and second individual slip rings mounted on a rotor shaft. A first end of the coil wire for the rotor passes through a first axial passage in the first slip ring and is terminated to conductive material on an axial end of that slip ring. The other end of the coil wire passes through a second axial passage in the first slip ring and through an axial passage in the second slip ring and is terminated to conductive material on an axial end of the second slip ring. The second axial passage of the first slip ring is electrically insulated from the conductive material of that slip ring, so the second wire end does not inadvertently short-circuit to the first conductive material. Also, the first and second slip rings are each designed to cooperate in providing a gap therebetween which provides space to accommodate the termination of the first wire end onto the axial end of the first slip ring.

Growing community of inventors

Walled Lake, MI, United States of America

Richard Kenneth Harris