Particular Gear Tooth Feature Patents (Class 475/344)
  • Patent number: 11872680
    Abstract: An impact power tool includes a transmission output shaft, a rotary impact assembly with a cam shaft, hammer, and anvil, and a tool output shaft rotatable with the anvil. A coupler removably couples the cam shaft to the transmission output shaft. When torque on the tool output shaft is less than or equal to a first threshold, the transmission output shaft, cam shaft, hammer, and anvil rotate together to transmit torque to the tool output shaft. When torque on the tool output shaft is above the first threshold, the hammer moves along the cam shaft away from the anvil by a first distance and applies rotary impacts to the anvil. When the hammer moves along the cam shaft away from the anvil by a second distance greater than the first distance, the coupler decouples the transmission output shaft from the cam shaft, interrupting torque transmission to the tool output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: BLACK & DECKER INC.
    Inventors: Tyler Petrus, Robert J. Opsitos
  • Patent number: 11747138
    Abstract: A system includes a first planetary gear set comprising a first sun gear, at least one planetary gear, and a first ring gear designed to rotate at a speed lower than an operating speed of rotating equipment. The system further comprises a second planetary gear set comprising a second sun gear, at least one planetary gear, and a second ring gear designed to rotate at a speed lower than the operating speed of the rotating equipment. The system further comprises at least one laser source installed on the first ring gear of the first planetary gear set and at least one laser receiver installed on the second ring gear of the second planetary gear set. The at least one laser source corresponds with the at least one laser receiver to measure alignment readings while the rotating equipment is rotating at speeds up to and including the operating speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Mohamad Abduladhim Al Ibrahim, Salem Khalid Al Turki
  • Patent number: 11408484
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a planetary gear system. The planetary gear system includes a split double helical ring gear having a first ring gear with first helical ring teeth and a second ring gear with second helical ring teeth, a split double helical sun gear having a first sun gear with first helical sun teeth and a second sun gear with second helical sun teeth, a sun gear coupler coupling the first sun gear and the second sun gear; and a single-piece double helical planet pinion having a first helical planet teeth portion and a second helical planet teeth portion, where the first helical planet teeth mesh with the first helical sun teeth and the first helical ring teeth, and the second helical planet teeth mesh with the second helical sun teeth and the second helical ring teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory Alan Spruce, Alan Wayne Falls, Douglas Robert Mueller
  • Patent number: 11225914
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine including a fan, a core including at least one rotatable shaft, and a gearbox mechanically coupling at least one rotatable shaft of the core to the fan is provided. The gas turbine engine also includes a coupling system for mounting the gearbox within the gas turbine engine. The coupling system includes a flexible coupling connected to at least one of a fan frame or a core frame, as well as a torque frame connected to the flexible coupling and the gearbox. Moreover, a deflection limiter is provided, loosely attaching the flexible coupling to the gearbox to provide a predetermined axial range of motion, radial range of motion, and circumferential range of motion between the gearbox and the frame to which the flexible coupling is attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Donald Albert Bradley
  • Patent number: 11085512
    Abstract: Provided is an electric actuator, including: a driving motor (2); a motion conversion mechanism (6) configured to convert a rotary motion of the driving motor (2) to a linear motion in an axial direction parallel with an output shaft (2a) of the driving motor (2); and a transmission gear mechanism (5) configured to transmit a driving force from the driving motor (2) to the motion conversion mechanism (6). The driving motor (2) is mounted to an actuator case (9) to which a double-row bearing (24) configured to support the motion conversion mechanism (6) and a bearing (19) configured to support the transmission gear mechanism (5) are mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tatsunori Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10823260
    Abstract: A transmission device for splitting torque between two coaxial gears, in particular for a planetary gearing for aeronautic applications, has a motion input member and two transmission members, which are coaxial and have respective shafts provided with gears at an axial end and respective external flanges, at the opposite axial end; the two flanges are axially facing and placed abutting against each other, and are fixed to the motion input member so as to split the torque transmitted from the motion input member between the two flanges; one of the two shafts is axially hollow and houses, with radial clearance, an intermediate portion of the other shaft; the latter is formed by at least two pieces which are coaxial and fixed to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: GE Avio S.r.l.
    Inventors: Michele Gravina, Marco Facchini
  • Patent number: 10711880
    Abstract: A planet-carrier for an epicyclic gearing is provided with a ring having a plurality of plate sectors and a plurality of connection sectors, alternating with one another about a first axis; a connection structure connects in an angularly fixed manner the connection sectors to a rotating member or to a static member; the planet-carrier is also provided with a plurality of pins, which are fixed with respect to the plate sectors and protrude in opposite directions from the plate sectors along respective second axes, parallel and eccentric with respect to the first axis; each pin has two coaxial outer surfaces, adapted to support respective planet gears of the gearing and symmetrical to each other with respect to a symmetry plane orthogonal to the first axis; the plate sectors are asymmetrical with respect to this symmetry plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: GE Avio S.r.l.
    Inventors: Michele Gravina, Giuseppe Casamirra
  • Patent number: 10253848
    Abstract: A planetary gear system includes a ring gear supported by a housing, the ring gear having teeth on an inner sidewall of the ring gear, and a plurality of helical gears, each of the plurality of helical gears including a first cylindrical segment having teeth that are configured to mate with teeth of an input drive shaft, the teeth of the first cylindrical segment having helical teeth disposed at a first angle, and a second cylindrical segment extending from the first cylindrical segment, the second cylindrical segment having teeth configured to mate with teeth of the ring gear, the teeth of the second cylindrical segment having helical teeth disposed at a second angle. Advantageously, a linear axial force produced by each of the plurality of helical gears is substantially zero, which creates a thrust balancing within the planetary gear system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: FARADAY & FUTURE INC.
    Inventors: Erik Hatch, Kyle Hickey
  • Patent number: 10167934
    Abstract: A planet (11) for a planetary rolling contact gear, along whose planetary axis a middle section (12) having a larger diameter and, axially on both sides of the middle section (12), end sections (13) having a smaller diameter are formed, wherein a first engagement profile (14) is formed on the lateral surface of the planet (11) in the middle section (12) and a second engagement profile (15) is formed on the lateral surface of the planet (11) in the end sections (13), wherein the first engagement profile (14) has a plurality of first teeth (16) that are arranged in an annular manner around the planetary axis, wherein first grooves (17) arranged in an annular manner about the planet axis are formed between successive first teeth (16), wherein the two first edge teeth (23) located at the ends of the middle section (12) are formed within and at a distance from a tooth contour (18) of the first teeth (16) of the middle section (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
    Inventors: Horst Gredy, Bernd Eichenhuller
  • Patent number: 10037829
    Abstract: The leaves of a multi-leaf collimator can be driven more easily and hence more quickly if they are supported on a ball-race instead of in a sliding groove. A recirculating path is preferred, in which the rolling elements of the ball-race support the leaf over part of their path and then return to a start of the path. In addition, the rolling elements could be driven by a drive screw in order to drive the leaf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: ELEKTA AB
    Inventor: Clifford William Perkins
  • Patent number: 9939058
    Abstract: A gearbox in a gas turbine engine includes an enclosed gearbox housing, at least a pair of intermeshing gears lubricated and rotatably supported within the gearbox housing, and a baffle apparatus axially spaced apart from and positioned at least at one side of the pair of gears, the baffle apparatus including a collector defining a main opening adjacent a meshing point of the intermeshing gears for collecting and redirecting lubricant squeezed out axially from the intermeshing gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: PRETT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Maksim Pankratov, Felix Gauthier
  • Patent number: 9777589
    Abstract: A system for routing rotatable wire bundles which extend from a rotor shaft of a turbomachine includes a plurality of wire bundles which extend outwardly from an inner passage of the rotor shaft of the turbomachine. An annular wire barrel is coupled to an end of the rotor shaft. A plurality of thru-holes is defined within and/or by the wire barrel. The plurality of thru-holes is annularly arranged therein. Each thru-hole extends through an aft wall of the wire barrel and is circumferentially spaced from adjacent thru-holes. Each wire bundle extends individually through a corresponding thru-hole of the plurality of thru-holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kurt Kramer Schleif, Donald W. Shaw, Zachary John Snider, Mario Joseph Arceneaux
  • Patent number: 9698579
    Abstract: A method for routing wires from a rotor shaft of a turbomachine includes routing a plurality of wire bundles through an end portion of the rotor shaft and into an annular extension shaft which is coupled to the end portion of the rotor shaft, threading each wire bundle through a corresponding thru-hole of a plurality of thru-holes defined in an annular wire barrel, inserting the wire barrel into the extension shaft and fixedly connecting the wire barrel to the extension shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Kurt Kramer Schleif, Donald W. Shaw, Zachary John Snider, Mario Joseph Arceneaux
  • Patent number: 9108636
    Abstract: In a transmission control device for a hybrid vehicle, when an engine torque is equal to or less than a predetermined value during a constant speed traveling, a learning engine rotational speed is set to a rotational speed being higher by +? than the present engine rotational speed. Then, a learning engine torque is calculated that corresponds to the learning engine rotational speed, a learning clutch actuator operation amount is obtained that corresponds to the learning clutch torque, and a clutch actuator is operated based on the learning clutch actuator operation amount. Thereafter, when the engine rotational speed and the engine torque are in stable states, a clutch torque value corresponding to the learning clutch actuator operation amount is compensated by a stable engine torque value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomomitsu Terakawa, Yasuhiro Hosoi, Yuichiro Kitamura, Yoshihide Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20140378271
    Abstract: A planet (11) for a planetary rolling contact gear, along whose planetary axis a middle section (12) having a larger diameter and, axially on both sides of the middle section (12), end sections (13) having a smaller diameter are formed, wherein a first engagement profile (14) is formed on the lateral surface of the planet (11) in the middle section (12) and a second engagement profile (15) is formed on the lateral surface of the planet (11) in the end sections (13), wherein the first engagement profile (14) has a plurality of first teeth (16) that are arranged in an annular manner around the planetary axis, wherein first grooves (17) arranged in an annular manner about the planet axis are formed between successive first teeth (16), wherein the two first edge teeth (23) located at the ends of the middle section (12) are formed within and at a distance from a tooth contour (18) of the first teeth (16) of the middle section (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Horst Gredy, Bernd Eichenhuller
  • Patent number: 8915821
    Abstract: A multiple-row epicyclic gear includes a carrier with planet gears arranged in rows, as well as a composite central ring gear, having major crowns, with friction spacer rings disposed there between, are also mounted in the housing. The elements of the central ring gear are axially spring loaded. The end faces of the frictional spacer rings and counter-oriented end faces of the major crowns have tapered surfaces being in frictional contact. The friction spacer rings are spliced and arranged to bring their outer cylindrical surfaces into frictional contact with the inner cylindrical surface of the housing. The planet gears are disposed on the carrier in rows in corresponding apertures (or through openings) formed in the carrier. The optimal cone apex angle (?) of the contacting tapered end faces of the major crowns and tapered end faces of the friction spacer rings is in the range 60-90°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Statoil Petroleum AS
    Inventors: Gleb Yurievich Volkov, Dmitry Eduardovich Ratmanov
  • Patent number: 8858384
    Abstract: A bevel gear used in a differential device for a vehicle is comprised of: a body having an axis, a conical pitch surface around the axis, an opposite surface opposed to the conical pitch surface, and a side surface around the axis; gear teeth formed on the pitch surface, each of the gear teeth having a top land projecting from the pitch surface; and clutch teeth formed on the opposite surface, each of the clutch teeth having a bottom land standing back from the opposite surface, each of the bottom lands of the clutch teeth being aligned with any of the top lands of the gear teeth in a line parallel to the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: GKN Driveline Japan Ltd
    Inventors: Masaaki Fusegi, Yasuo Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 8814746
    Abstract: A planetary gear system (P) includes a sun gear (2), a ring gear (4) a carrier (6) located between the sun and ring gears (2, 4), and planet pinions (8, 10) organized in two arrays and supported on flexpin assemblies (32, 34) in the carrier (6). All of the gearing is helical, with the sun and ring gears (2, 4) having their teeth arranged in at double helix angles (herringbone) and the planet gears (8, 10) at single helix angles. The pinions (8) of the one array engage the teeth of one angle on the sun and ring gears (2, 4) and the pinions (10) of the other array engage the teeth of the other angle on the sun and ring gears (2, 4). Torque transfers through the carrier (6) through two torque paths (a, b)—one to the flexpin assemblies (32) for one array and the other to the flexpin assemblies (34) of the other array—and the paths (a) is stiffer than the path (b). Owing to the helical cut of the teeth the planet pinions (8, 10) of the two arrays exert oppositely directed axial forces (A) on the sun gear (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: The Timken Company
    Inventor: Gerald P. Fox
  • Patent number: 8777801
    Abstract: Described herein is a planetary gear train, comprising: a sun gear that can turn about an axis and comprises a plurality of first teeth; a fixed crown wheel comprising a plurality of second teeth; and two planetary gears, each comprising a plurality of third teeth, the planetary gears each meshing with the crown wheel and the sun gear and able to turn about second axes, which are in turn able to turn about the first axis; at least two third teeth simultaneously mesh with second teeth and further two third teeth simultaneously mesh with first teeth; the third teeth comprise a first and a second side, which have, respectively, a first and a second pressure angle different from one another; and the number of the third teeth is different from the absolute value of the semidifference between the number of the first teeth and of the second teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: AGUSTAWESTLAND S.p.A.
    Inventors: Sergio Sartori, Filippo Ozzi, Giuseppe Gasparini
  • Patent number: 8744313
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus driving unit includes a rotatable member which is rotatably supported, a pair of bearing portions for rotatably supporting the rotatable member, and a motor for driving the rotatable member. In addition, a driving gear is provided on a driving shaft of the motor, and a driven gear, provided outside the pair of bearing portions with respect to a rotational axis direction of the rotatable member, engages with the driving gear to be rotated integrally with the rotatable member. At least one of the driven gear and the driving gear has, with respect to the rotational axis direction of the rotatable member, a crown shape so that a central tooth surface of a tooth projects more than end tooth surfaces of the tooth at a side where the driven gear and the driving gear engage each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shusuke Miura
  • Patent number: 8613688
    Abstract: In a gearbox, a stationary gear component such as a ring gear of a planetary gear comprises a tooth trace correction that varies along the tooth trace so as to provide for superior load distribution in the gearbox. In some illustrative embodiments, the gearbox is a component of a wind power plant wherein the circumferentially varying tooth trace correction of the stationary ring gear results in superior durability and performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Andreas Enting, Khashayar Nazifi
  • Patent number: 8562481
    Abstract: Embodiments provide for planetary gearing systems with sun, planetary and ring gears, wherein the ring gears have generally cylindrical or elliptical tooth forms with a common shape and geometric parameters. The ring gear and a sun gear each engage one or more of planetary gears in respective mesh engagements, wherein the gear forms on each may be independently formed as a function of their respective geometries (sun or ring gear pitches, and sun or ring radii from a common central axis of the planetary gearing system), and as a function of the planetary gear tooth form shape and geometric parameters, planetary gear radius from the common central axis, and the planetary gear tooth pitch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Kiss Engineering, LLC
    Inventors: Theodore Radisek, Merritt A. Osborn
  • Publication number: 20130237369
    Abstract: At least one of plural gears includes a tooth-side base portion and an opposite base portion that are disposed coaxially and connected to each other by connecting portions, the tooth-side base portion is formed in the shape of a ring and includes a tooth row on one peripheral surface thereof, and the opposite base portion faces a peripheral surface of the tooth-side base portion opposite to the peripheral surface of the tooth-side base portion on which the tooth row is formed. Protruding portions are formed on the peripheral surface of the tooth-side base portion facing the opposite base portion. The connecting portions extend from the protruding portions toward the peripheral surface of the opposite base portion facing the tooth-side base portion. A portion, which is connected to the tooth-side base portion, of each connecting portion and a peripheral surface-tangential direction of the tooth-side base portion form an acute angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Sano, Kazuhiko Ito
  • Patent number: 8517884
    Abstract: A differential assembly, bevel gears for the assembly, and a method of making the bevel gears are disclosed. The bevel gears have a form which provides for high power density transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: GKN Sinter Metals, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy E. Geiman, Alfred J. Chiesa, Henry J. Knott, David E. Lenhart
  • Patent number: 8480532
    Abstract: A spur gear differential (1) having a first sun (3) and a second sun (5), wherein the first sun (3) is associated with a first set of planetary gears (7) and the second sun (5) is associated with a second set of planetary gears (9), and the first set of planetary gears (7) engages with the second set of planetary gears (9). The number of teeth (11) of the first sun (3) are equal to the number of teeth (12) of the second sun (5), and the teeth (11) of the first sun (3) are disposed by a profile shift on a crown circle (2) having a crown circle diameter (DK1) that differs from the crown circle diameter (DK2) of a crown circle on which the teeth (12) of the second sun (5) are disposed. The first set of planetary gears (7) engages only with the first sun (3) and the second set of planetary gears (9) engages only with the second sun (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
    Inventors: Thorsten Biermann, Bernd-Robert Hohn, Franz Kurth
  • Patent number: 8460145
    Abstract: Each of reclining devices is formed so as to have a different size. An external gear wheel of each of the reclining devices has a diameter smaller than an internal gear wheel thereof and has a teeth number different from the internal gear wheel. The internal gear wheels and the external gear wheels of the connection devices respectively have the same teeth number as each other. The internal gear wheels and the external gear wheels of the connection devices are formed such that distances between centers thereof are equal to each other. Further, a meshing line of the internal gear wheel and the external gear wheel of each of the connection devices is formed between two curves defining a meshing range and is drawn as a line that extends from a side of a radially inwardly positioned curve in a circumferential direction in which the two curves are gradually spaced from each other and reaches to a side of a radially outwardly positioned curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Atsutaka Mitsuhashi
  • Patent number: 8460153
    Abstract: A power tool that includes a housing, a motor, a planetary transmission, a first bearing and a second bearing. The motor is disposed in the housing and includes an output shaft. The planetary transmission has a sun gear, a plurality of first planet gears, a first ring gear and a carrier. The sun gear is driven by the output shaft. The first planet gears are driven by the sun gear and have teeth that are meshingly engaged to teeth of the first ring gear. The carrier includes a rear carrier plate and a front carrier plate between which the first and second planet gears are received. The rear carrier plate includes a first bearing aperture. The first bearing is received in the first bearing aperture and is configured to support the output shaft. The second bearing is received onto the rear carrier plate to support the carrier relative to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Black & Decker Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Rudolph, Sankarshan Murthy, Daniel Puzio, Qiang Zhang, Aris Cleanthous, Mehdi Abolhassani, Ren H. Wang
  • Patent number: 8439788
    Abstract: In a vehicle differential unit according to an embodiment of the invention, a planetary carrier that is a rotatable member that rotatably supports planetary gears is formed of cylindrical members that are unable to rotate relative to each other on the rotational axis of a pair of output shafts. The vehicle differential unit has a thrust force generation portion that receives a driving force from a drive source of a vehicle and generates a thrust force along the direction of the rotational axis of the pair of output shafts, and a relative movement limiting portion that limits a relative movement between the cylindrical members along the axial direction due to the thrust force when the vehicle is in the drive mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Noriyuki Fujii, Makoto Nishiji
  • Publication number: 20130102435
    Abstract: A reduction gear includes a stationary sun gear, a coaxial mobile sun gear, planet gears, and a planet carrier. In order to ensure easy, reliable assembly for the reduction gear, while transmitting high torques having a considerable speed reduction, the helical gear teeth of the stationary and mobile sun gears are reversed relative to one another and are mutually separated in the direction of the main axis of rotation, thus forming a free space between them, which is suitable for adjusting the axial position of the planet gear or gears when assembling the reduction gear, such as to engage the first and second gear teeth of the planet gear with the respective gear teeth of the stationary and mobile sun gears.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: SKF Aerospace France
    Inventor: Bastien Roussey
  • Publication number: 20130101341
    Abstract: A swivel adapter mount can be mounted on the end of a boom of excavating equipment, such as a crawler excavator or on a backhoe. Rotation of the swivel adapter mount will impart rotation to an implement, such as bucket, mounted on the boom. This rotation is not possible with a conventional wrist joint on the boom of an excavator or backhoe. With the bucket swiveled using this swivel adapter mount, a slope may be defined on the sides of a ditch, by only using the backhoe or excavator. The implement can be swiveled or tilted about transverse axes as will as being manipulated by a conventional wrist joint. Gear bearings having gear teeth of divergent thickness are employed on the swivel adapter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Inventor: Jason Wayne McDonald
  • Patent number: 8409050
    Abstract: A gear retention assembly for retaining a gear that has a plurality of gear outer splines includes a gear housing and a retaining ring. The gear housing has a first end, a second end, and a plurality of inner splines each including a ramp portion. The second end of the gear housing includes an annular continuous rolled lip, where the continuous rolled lip and the ramp portions of the plurality of inner splines define a groove. The plurality of inner splines engage with the gear outer splines of the gear to transmit torque between the gear and the gear housing. The retaining ring is disposed in the groove and axially retains the gear. The rolled lip axially retains the retaining ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Scott William Heitzenrater, Boris Burgman, Douglas John Dwenger, John A. Diemer, Randal William Arndt
  • Patent number: 8388487
    Abstract: A differential apparatus has a planet carrier 2A rotated by driving torque from a driving source, a planetary gear 2B rotated for self-rotation around its own axis by receiving rotational force of the planet carrier 2A, a sun gear 2C and an internal gear 2D differentially distributing the rotational force to a pair of output shafts by receiving the rotational force of the planet carrier 2A from the planetary gear 2B, and a differential restricting mechanism 2 having an inner clutch plates 3A and an outer clutch plates 3B restricting a differential of the differential mechanism 3. The planet carrier 2A is disposed between the sun gear 2C and the internal gear 2D, and the sun gear 2C and internal gear 2D are respectively connected each other to be able to transmit torque through the inner clutch plates 3A and the outer clutch plates 3B.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Noriyuki Fujii, Makoto Nishiji, Kunihiko Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20130035197
    Abstract: Described herein is a planetary gear train, comprising: a sun gear that can turn about an axis and comprises a plurality of first teeth; a fixed crown wheel comprising a plurality of second teeth; and two planetary gears, each comprising a plurality of third teeth, the planetary gears each meshing with the crown wheel and the sun gear and able to turn about second axes, which are in turn able to turn about the first axis; at least two third teeth simultaneously mesh with second teeth and further two third teeth simultaneously mesh with first teeth; the third teeth comprise a first a second side, which have, respectively, a first and a second pressure angle different from one another; and the number of the third teeth is different from the absolute value of the semidifference between the number of the first teeth and of the second teeth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: AGUSTAWESTLAND S.p.A.
    Inventors: Sergio Sartori, Filippo Ozzi, Giuseppe Gasparini
  • Publication number: 20130035198
    Abstract: In a gearbox, a stationary gear component such as a ring gear of a planetary gear comprises a tooth trace correction that varies along the tooth trace so as to provide for superior load distribution in the gearbox. In some illustrative embodiments, the gearbox is a component of a wind power plant wherein the circumferentially varying tooth trace correction of the stationary ring gear results in superior durability and performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventors: Andreas Enting, Khashayar Nazifi
  • Publication number: 20130029802
    Abstract: A planetary gear system (P) includes a sun gear (2), a ring gear (4) a carrier (6) located between the sun and ring gears (2, 4), and planet pinions (8, 10) organized in two arrays and supported on flexpin assemblies (32, 34) in the carrier (6). All of the gearing is helical, with the sun and ring gears (2, 4) having their teeth arranged in at double helix angles (herringbone) and the planet gears (8, 10) at single helix angles. The pinions (8) of the one array engage the teeth of one angle on the sun and ring gears (2, 4) and the pinions (10) of the other array engage the teeth of the other angle on the sun and ring gears (2, 4). Torque transfers through the carrier (6) through two torque paths (a, b)—one to the flexpin assemblies (32) for one array and the other to the flexpin assemblies (34) of the other array—and the paths (a) is stiffer than the path (b). Owing to the helical cut of the teeth the planet pinions (8, 10) of the two arrays exert oppositely directed axial forces (A) on the sun gear (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: THE TIMKEN COMPANY
    Inventor: Gerald P. Fox
  • Publication number: 20130023378
    Abstract: A method of assembling an epicyclic gear train includes the steps of providing a unitary carrier having a central axis that includes spaced apart walls and circumferentially spaced apart apertures provided at an outer circumference of the carrier. Gear pockets are provided between the walls and extend to the apertures, and a central opening in at least one of the walls. A plurality of intermediate gears is inserted through the central opening and move the intermediate gears radially outwardly into the gear pockets to extend through the apertures. A sun gear is inserted through the central opening. The plurality of intermediate gears is moved radially inwardly to engage the sun gear. A gear reduction is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
  • Patent number: 8357071
    Abstract: A planetary gear mechanism for a bicycle internal hub transmission that includes at least one stepped planetary gear. The stepped planetary gear has a plurality of first helical gear teeth with a first outer diameter and a plurality of second helical gear teeth with a second outer diameter that is greater than the first outer diameter. The first helical gear teeth have a first helix angle and the second gear teeth have a second helix angle with the first and second helix angles being angled such that for a given amount of rotation of the stepped planetary gear corresponding travel points on the first and second helical gear teeth move the same axial amount with respect to the rotational axis the stepped planetary gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Shimano Inc.
    Inventor: Tetsuya Hino
  • Publication number: 20120312115
    Abstract: A gear and drive system utilizing the gear include teeth. Each of the teeth has a first side and a second side opposite the first side that extends from a body of the gear. For each tooth of the gear, a first extended portion is attached to the first side of the tooth to divert flow of fluid adjacent to the body of the gear to reduce windage losses that occur when the gear rotates. The gear may be utilized in drive systems that may have high rotational speeds, such as speeds where the tip velocities are greater than or equal to about 68 m/s. Some embodiments of the gear may also utilize teeth that also have second extended portions attached to the second sides of the teeth to divert flow of fluid adjacent to the body of the gear to reduce windage losses that occur when the gear rotates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: THE PENN STATE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Robert F. Kunz, Richard B. Medvitz, Matthew John Hill
  • Patent number: 8328677
    Abstract: Embodiments provide for planetary gearing systems with ring gears comprising cylindrical tooth forms arrayed from a central axis and encompassing at least one planetary sprocket and a sun gear. The sun and ring gears have cylindrical tooth forms. The planetary sprocket teeth are aligned for engagement with at least one of the sun gear and ring gear cylindrical tooth forms at a contact radius from the central axis selected as a function of the sprocket tooth common involute gear shape, the sprocket radius, the sprocket tooth pitch, and of the pitch, gear radius and cylindrical form diameter of the selected at least one gear cylindrical tooth forms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Gearing Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore Radisek, Merritt A. Osborn
  • Patent number: 8313410
    Abstract: A planetary wheel end assembly includes an axle shaft having an inboard end and an outboard end and a planetary gear assembly that receives driving input from the axle shaft. The planetary gear assembly includes a sun gear that is fixed for rotation with the axle shaft, a plurality of planet gears that are in meshing engagement with the sun gear, a non-rotating ring gear that is in meshing engagement with the planet gears, and a planetary spider that supports the plurality of planet gears. The planetary spider provides driving output to rotate a wheel component. The sun gear includes a sun gear body having a plurality of sun gear teeth in meshing engagement with the planet gears and a plurality of splines that are coupled with mating splines on the axle shaft. The plurality of splines are axially inboard of the plurality of sun gear teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: ArvinMeritor Technology, LLC
    Inventor: Tomaz Dopico Varela
  • Publication number: 20120264563
    Abstract: The present invention provides a backlash-free planetary transmission device, comprising a housing (10), a power input shaft (1) and a power output shaft (8). An eccentric sleeve (2) is securely positioned on a circumference of the power input shaft (1). A fixed pin gear (5) is set on the housing (10) that is concentric with the power input shaft (1). A power output pin gear (7) is set on the power output shaft (8) in circumferential transmission fit and concentric with the power input shaft (1). An outer ring of the eccentric sleeve (2) rotatably fits with a dual outer gear (4). An outer gear (42) of the dual outer gear (4) is meshed with the fixed pin gear (5) with small teeth difference, and the other outer gear (41) is meshed with the power output pin gear (7) with small teeth difference. The pin teeth of both the fixed pin gear (5) and the power output pin gear (7) include a roller that can rotate around its own axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF CHONGQING
    Inventors: Bingkui Chen, Wencui Yi, Chaoyang Li
  • Publication number: 20120231924
    Abstract: This invention is distinguished by a continuously variable transmission that can contain one or more gear sets. This gear set is composed of two coupled gears (attached to each other), concentric with different sizes, with one shaft free to rotate and orbit, because this rotation will furnish the velocity in the direction of the movement to alter gear ratios, without gear shifting; besides two additional concentric and finned structures that complete the system's functionality. There is no need to shift gears, optimizing the movement by means of planetary gears revolving around the drive and driven shafts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Inventor: Alan Miranda Monteiro De Lima
  • Publication number: 20120208668
    Abstract: Embodiments provide for planetary gearing systems with sun, planetary and ring gears, wherein the ring gears have generally cylindrical or elliptical tooth forms with a common shape and geometric parameters. The ring gear and a sun gear each engage one or more of planetary gears in respective mesh engagements, wherein the gear forms on each may be independently formed as a function of their respective geometries (sun or ring gear pitches, and sun or ring radii from a common central axis of the planetary gearing system), and as a function of the planetary gear tooth form shape and geometric parameters, planetary gear radius from the common central axis, and the planetary gear tooth pitch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: Gearing Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore Radisek, Merritt A. Osborn
  • Patent number: 8231503
    Abstract: A gearbox comprising a gearset is able to transmit high output torques at high numerical reduction ratios at a power-to-weight ratio higher than previously attainable with existing designs. A distributor gear is disposed relative to a spur gear in order to produce automatic torque balancing. The distributor gear can be advantageously configured as an input floatring gear, for which support in all directions is provided by gear tooth mesh forces rather than bearings. Automatic torque balancing is achieved by configuring the distributor gear with first and second rows of helical teeth on the external circumference, and with a set of double helical teeth disposed on the internal circumference of the distributor gear. This allows for the placement of up to 50 or more planet gears in a countershaft arrangement with one end having helical teeth and the other end having spur teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Karem Aircraft
    Inventor: Terry Buelna
  • Patent number: 8216107
    Abstract: In the present invention, an improved planetary gearset which reduces the amount of vibration transferred from the planetary gearset to a housing. The present invention is a new way to interface the ring gear of a planetary gearset with the housing by incorporating a series of lugs around the ring gear and adjusting the number of lugs and the size and the shape of the lugs. The distribution of these lugs affects the sound levels transferred from the planetary gearset. Additionally, multiple rows of lugs can also be strategically arranged on one ring gear to gain further noise and vibration improvement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Borgwarner Inc.
    Inventors: Kun Tao, Susan M. Stroope
  • Patent number: 8171637
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a new improved large planetary gear system used on the input stage of wind turbine power generators. This improved planetary gear system reduces or eliminates lubricant debris traditionally generated from the gear teeth, thereby eliminating an initiating source for bearing failure. To achieve these results, some and preferably all of the gear teeth within the planetary gear system are superfinished using chemically accelerated vibratory finishing to a surface roughness of approximately 0.25 micron or less. Several objects and advantages of the invention are to provide a gearbox with reduced metal debris, improved bearing life, reduced wear, reduced vibro-frictional noise, improved contact fatigue, improved fretting resistance, improved lubrication, to simplify the run-in process, and to enhance the durability and efficiency of the gearbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignees: REM Technologies, Inc., OSRO GmbH
    Inventors: Mark Michaud, Edward David Summers
  • Patent number: 8167755
    Abstract: One implementation of a six-speed transmission includes a first gearset including first and second planetary gearsets each having a number of teeth. The transmission also has a second gearset including a third planetary gearset operably associated with the first and second planetary gearsets. The third planetary gearset has an equal number of teeth with respect to one of the first and second planetary gearsets. The transmission also has a first plurality of shift elements operably associated with the first and second planetary gearsets, each of the first plurality of shift elements being movable between a released state and an applied state to selectively engage at least one of the first and second planetary gearsets. The transmission also has a second plurality of shift elements operably associated with the third planetary gearset, each of the second plurality of shift elements being movable between a released state and an applied state to selectively engage the third planetary gearset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Chrysler Group LLC
    Inventors: Berthold Martin, Hussein A. Dourra, Charles J. Redinger
  • Patent number: 8157691
    Abstract: The engagement of gearwheels with curvilinear teeth is intended to create small-sized mechanical gears of rotational motion with big gear ratio in one stage. The smaller gearwheel—pinion (16)—has one tooth, having in its face section the shape of circumference (3), eccentrically shifted with respect to the axis OO1 of the gearwheel (16). The curvilinear helical tooth of the gearwheel (16) (helical eccentric) is generated by sequential shifting of the circumference 3 along the axis OO1 and its continuous turning around the axis. The greater gearwheel (17) has helical teeth, generated by turning of the cycloidal curve (5), the teeth are conjugated with the helical surface of the pinion (16). The engagement has a continuous line of contact along the whole length of the tooth, where in each section a circular pin tooth and a cycloid are engaged, having minimum losses for friction. In order to eliminate axial loads, occurring in engagement of helical teeth, the gearwheels (16) and (17) are made herring-bone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Closed Joint Stock Company “Technology Market”
    Inventors: Viktor V. Stanovskoy, Sergey M. Kazakyavichyus, Tatiana A. Remneva, Vladimir M. Kuznetsov
  • Patent number: 8128528
    Abstract: A planetary gear set includes a sun gear; pinions that are positioned around the sun gear and that mesh with the sun gear; and a ring gear that is positioned on the outer side of the pinions and that meshes with the pinions. Each pinion has a plurality of teeth on the outer surface thereof. Each tooth has a first tooth surface and a second tooth surface on opposite sides of the tooth, which can contact tooth surfaces of the sun gear and the ring gear. The deviation of the first tooth surface from the corresponding reference surface differs from the deviation of the second tooth surface from the corresponding reference surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Tanabe, Yota Mizuno, Hiroshi Hata
  • Patent number: RE44158
    Abstract: The compact, all-gear full-traction differential includes meshing pairs of side-gear worms and worm-wheel balance gears having a “hybrid” design. Preferably, the teeth of each side-gear worm have an involute profile but are cut with only plunge feed, while the teeth of the worm-wheel portions of the balance gears are helicoid worms having tip and root modifications made by a concave-shaped cutter. The side-gear worm teeth have a helix angle equal to or greater than 45° and significantly chamfered ends, and the gears are designed to provide a gear ratio between 1.5:1 and 2.5:1. The numbers of teeth in the spur-gear portion and worm-wheel portion of each balance gear and in each side-gear worm are all divisible by 2 or by 3, preferably by both 2 and 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Torvec, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith E. Gleasman, Paul W. Suwijn, Keith E. Gleasman