Gear Casings Patents (Class 74/606R)
  • Patent number: 6164160
    Abstract: An improved method is provided for mounting a header to an insulator body of an automatic transmission solenoid assembly. The insulator body is provided with an overmolded lead frame. The insulator body and lead frame each include a plurality of terminal pin receiving holes for receiving respective terminal pins of a header therein. The terminal pins are fountain soldered to the lead frame in order to provide a connection between the terminal pins and the lead frame. The header is also provided with a pair of header posts which extend through corresponding holes in the insulator body. Weld nuts are ultrasonically welded to the header posts in order to secure the header to the insulator body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventor: Roy S. Nassar
  • Patent number: 6158302
    Abstract: A torque support, especially for wheel blocks, is arranged between a gear unit housing with a drive shaft and a driven unit housing. The torque support includes a plate-shaped base body which is detachably fastened to the gear unit housing with fastening elements. The plate-shaped base plate has at least two fastening locations comprising through openings for fastening the torque support to the driven unit housing. To keep the shearing forces resulting from the torque support and acting on the gear shaft small while the torsional moment is simultaneously absorbed with low play and in such a way that load peaks are damped, a corresponding plastic ring body is inserted into each through-opening in a positive-locking engagement. A side of the plastic ring body facing the driven unit housing has an edge area which widens radially outward forms an elastic disk element arranged between the driven unit housing and the torque support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann AG
    Inventors: Eberhard Becker, Thomas Dullmann, Heinz Flaig, Winfried Gievers, Gregor Jansen, Hans-Hermann Osthoff, Josef Paul Saeftel, Roland Staggl, Jan-Helge Steinkopf, Manfred Stober
  • Patent number: 6155138
    Abstract: A pump fluid passage communicating with an oil pump is formed in main case of a transmission case. Further, a primary fluid passage for supplying a hydraulic pressure to a primary pulley is formed in a wall member of a side case of the transmission case. Further, a line fluid passage for supplying a line pressure to a secondary pulley is formed in a wall member of the side case of the transmission case. Further, a communicating fluid passage is formed in a control valve body. When the control valve body is mounted on the bottom surfaces of the main case and the side case, the control valve body closes the bottom open surfaces of the main case and the side case and at the same time the communicating fluid passage connects the pump fluid passage with the primary fluid passage and the line fluid passage, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Fuji Jokogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiro Yasunami
  • Patent number: 6155136
    Abstract: A gear shaft assembly for use with a pump and a method of making the same are gear shaft of the present invention. The disclosed assembly includes a housing, a stepped shaft, and a gear rotationally disposed on the shaft. The shaft has a first end disposed in a first bore defined in the housing and a second end in threaded engagement with a second bore of the housing. A first shoulder of the shaft disposed adjacent the first end engages a portion of the housing to define a fully inserted position of the shaft. The gear is disposed on an intermediate section of the shaft between the first shoulder and a second shoulder located adjacent the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Milton Roy Company
    Inventors: Walter Peter Telly, Joel Eric Higbee, Henry Karl Sprenger
  • Patent number: 6155125
    Abstract: A six speed gear assembly is having a mainshaft, countershaft, mainshaft 1st-6th gears, countershaft 1st-6th gears, and 4th/6th gear shift member. A shifting assembly with a shifter cam having uniformly distributed and uniformly shaped detents that are engaged by the shift cam follower. The six speed gear assembly has modes of operation corresponding to six speeds (1st through 6th) and a neutral position. The sixth speed is an overdrive speed (the output from the transmission turns faster than the input to the transmission), while the first through fifth speeds correspond to conventional gear ratios.The six speed gear assembly and the shifting assembly fit within the transmission case of a Big Twin five speed transmission without the need to modify the transmission case. This allows the conversion of a Big Twin five speed transmission into a six speed transmission without removal or replacement of the transmission case and by replacing a minimal number of components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Custom Chrome, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Stephen Negherbon, Robert Burns Bossler, Jr., Arthur Carl Williams, Daniel Stern
  • Patent number: 6155137
    Abstract: An adjustable solenoid assembly having a solenoid manifold and a first pair of rods mounted to the solenoid manifold. The solenoid assembly further includes a plate member having a pair of slots for receiving the first pair of rods. The pair of slots cooperates with the pair of rods to enable the solenoid manifold to be translated to a fixed position relative to the plate member and enable dimensional variations between the first pair of rods to be accommodated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Roy S. Nassar, Thomas D. Nogle, Charles K. Streetman
  • Patent number: 6151990
    Abstract: A fully integrated hydrostatic transaxle formed of three housing members, a hydrostatic transmission and axle housing member joined to a differential housing member along a vertical plane and joined to a hydrostatic transmission mounting plate and cover member along a horizontal plane. A hydrostatic transmission is connected to and suspended from the mounting plate and cover member. In a second embodiment, a hydrostatic transmission is mounted to a hydrostatic transmission and axle housing member, which in turn is fastened to a center housing member. The center housing member is in turn connected to an axle and differential housing member. The interfaces defined by where the housing members are joined together define substantially parallel vertical planes. Means for effectively unlocking the transmission and the differential is provided so that the operator can push the vehicle without encountering the resistance of back driving the hydrostatic transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2000
    Assignee: Tecumseh Products Company
    Inventors: Kevin J. Johnson, Norman E. Jolliff, Vance E. Coble
  • Patent number: 6145157
    Abstract: A windshield wiper arrangement includes a mounting for a drive containing a wiper motor, a gear unit and a lever arm and two bearing brackets, spaced from the drive, containing wiper arm drive shafts each carrying an oscillating lever connected by a link rod to the lever arm. The mounting is an integral tubular structure shaped by high pressure forming of a tubular blank placed in a two-part mold having recesses extending essentially perpendicularly to the axis of the tubular part. Bushings for the drive shafts and a mount for the drive are forced into projections which are formed in the recesses when the tubular blank is shaped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Volkswagen AG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Ostrowski
  • Patent number: 6146303
    Abstract: The objective of the invention is a drive unit for a hoist, in particular for a hoist consisting of a motor 3, a gear 1, a brake 2, and a brake housing 8 serving as support, onto which the facing of the motor and/or the gear is flanged. The drive unit has a shaft 6, which simultaneously serves as a motor shaft and as a gear shaft, and the brake body 2 within the brake housing 8 is fastened to the shaft. Preferably, the motor 3 and/or the gear 1 are flanged, unsupported, to both sides of the brake housing 8. The construction according to the invention significantly shortens the total length of the drive unit. Furthermore, the installation and assembly costs in money, time, and materials are decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Wittur AG
    Inventors: Horst Wittur, Hubert Fisher
  • Patent number: 6142037
    Abstract: A check valve which fits within a multi-diametered shouldered cavity formed within a pump valve body of a transmission. The check valve assembly has a movable valve element with a head to seal an annular aperture in a separator plate of the transmission. The valve element further has a stem axially extending into the cavity. The stem has an enlarged annular end. A base retainer has a spline formation in a central opening which allows the enlarged annular end of the stem to be inserted therein. After relative rotation between the base retainer and the stem of the valve element, the valve element is captured to the base retainer. A spring is captured between the stem of the valve element and the base retainer to bias the head of the valve element against the aperture provided in the transmission separator plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Valentin Botosan, Berthold Martin
  • Patent number: 6142898
    Abstract: In a continuously variable speed transmission T in which one of two power transmission paths connecting to a planetary gear mechanism 12 is formed of a belt variable speed mechanism 9, the other power transmission path is formed of a belt power transmission mechanism 6 so as to decrease the number of casings, increase the maintainabilities of the belt speed change mechanism 9 and the power transmission mechanism constituting the other power transmission path and further accelerate the application of the continuously variable speed transmission T to vehicles. Further, both variable speed pulleys 10, 10 and a variable speed belt 11 in the belt variable speed mechanism 9 are positioned above a casing 2 for the planetary gear mechanism 12, and both pulleys 7, 7 and a power transmission belt 8 in the belt power transmission mechanism 6 are positioned below the casing 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Bando Chemical Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Miyata
  • Patent number: 6139462
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for hardening the gear pockets in a differential case through use of laser energy. As such, each gear pocket is left with a plurality of hardened tracks formed on its wall surface. The laser hardened tracks reduce the damaging effect of any wear condition experienced between the wall surface in the gear pockets and gears rotatably mounted therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Garrett W. Gage, Larry G. Haske
  • Patent number: 6135912
    Abstract: An automatic transmission, which establishes automatic shifts in a multiple gear stages by selectively inputting a plurality of input rotations to a planetary gear set, includes first and third clutches connected through a reduction planetary gear to an input shaft and transmits a decelerated rotation to the planetary gear set and a second clutch directly connected to the input shaft and transmits a non-decelerated rotation to the planetary gear set. The reduction planetary gear is arranged on the end of a boss portion of a transmission case wall and the one element is fixed to the end of the boss portion, hydraulic servos of the first and third clutches are arranged on the boss portion, a hydraulic servo of a second clutch is arranged in the other side of the reduction planetary gear from the hydraulic servos, and the hydraulic paths for the hydraulic servos are formed in the boss portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazumasa Tsukamoto, Masahiro Hayabuchi, Satoru Kasuya, Masaaki Nishida, Kenji Gotou, Tomochika Inagaki, Hiroshi Kato
  • Patent number: 6135889
    Abstract: A device for subjecting a shaft to a combined simple rotation and alternating rotation of limited extent about its own axis, the device including two supporting plates which rotate with the shaft coupled to a vibration generator and, between the plates, a part of a gear system which rotates freely with respect to the shaft and is associated with rotation actuation motor. Two first slotted holes are formed in each one of the plates so that they are diametrically opposite with respect to the shaft, the first slotted holes being arranged, upon assembly, at second slotted holes formed in the gear system, elastic compression springs being rigidly coupled between the first and the second slotted holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: HOLMAC S.a.s. di Gastaldi Christian & C.
    Inventor: Tiziano Salviato
  • Patent number: 6135911
    Abstract: A transaxle drive differential assembly powered by an input drive and connected to a pair of axle shafts. The differential assembly includes a housing comprised of a first housing section and a second housing section wherein at least one of the housing sections has a bearing surface. A ring gear, drivingly linked to the input drive, has an inner circumference which is supported on the bearing surface. A differential is drivingly linked to the ring gear and is adapted to drive the pair of axle shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
    Inventor: Raymond Hauser
  • Patent number: 6125717
    Abstract: An adapter assembly for rotationally joining a first rotational member to a second rotational member is provided including a first adapter, a first bearing within the first adapter, a second adapter, a second bearing within the second adapter, and a connecting assembly. A power transmission assembly is provided, suitable for use with any one of a family of motors of different sizes, the assembly including a motor selected from the family, a speed reducer, a first adapter, a first bearing, a second adapter, a second bearing, and a connecting assembly. The first adapter is sized for use with at least two of the motors, and the first bearing is chosen from a family of bearings of different sizes, each sized for use with a corresponding one of the motors within the family. The first bearing is sized for use with the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Reliance Electric Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Allyn E. Phillips
  • Patent number: 6122994
    Abstract: A housing for at least partially housing a boat lift pulley of a boat lift includes a main wall having a substantially vertically disposed wall portion defining an inwardly opening generally concave chamber adapted to at least partially receive therein a boat lift pulley. The main wall includes vertical and horizontal planes disposed substantially normal to each other with the concave chamber being offset to one side of the vertical plane. First and second wall portions of the main wall located at opposite sides of the horizontal plane are adapted for selective removal whereby a gear driven shaft can project therethrough to adapt a housing for selective utilization in either of two positions of installation oriented 180.degree. relative to each other. A peripheral edge portion of the main wall preferably includes symmetrically located fasteners for securing the housing to a companion housing in each of the two positions of 180.degree. oriented installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Norfolk Fabrication, Inc.
    Inventors: Lynn P. Norfolk, David Charles Peterson, Jr., Ronald Price Ranere, Russell V. Welton, J. David Augustine
  • Patent number: 6122995
    Abstract: A torque support mountable between a first housing of a driven unit and a second housing of a driving unit includes a scalloped one-piece plastic base body having a first side connectable with the first housing and a second side connectable with the second housing so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to both the first housing an the second housing. The first side includes a first planar contact face with through-openings for fastening with the first housing and the second side includes a flange-like edge area with a second planar contact face for resting against the second housing. The plastic piece is injection molded with support webs and includes metal bushings which are arranged perpendicular to the second planar contact face to provide a torque support which is simple and economical to manufacture, mechanically stable, has a certain elasticity and is adaptable to virtually any gear unit connection surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann AG
    Inventors: Winfried Gievers, Jens Glogowski, Heinz Schmidt, Rainer Woyk
  • Patent number: 6119552
    Abstract: A transmission for a working vehicle like a tractor of the invention is housed in a transmission housing 1 interposed between an engine and a rear axle housing 2. An interior of transmission housing 1 is divided into a front chamber A and a rear chamber B through a partition wall 1a. In front chamber A is disposed a main-clutch system partition centering a traveling-input shaft 7. In rear chamber B is disposed a speed-changing system as a combination of reversing arrangement and multi-speed-changing arrangement. In a rear opening of housing 1 is disposed a bearing plate 3. In rear chamber B, a first speed-changing shaft 8, a second speed-changing shaft 9 and a front transmission output shaft 10 are supported in parallel between wall 1a and plate 3. A regular speed-reduction gear train and a reversing speed-reduction gear train are interposed between shafts 8 and 9, so that shafts 8 and 9 can be connected with each other through one of the gear trains by a first clutch device C1 on shaft 8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Mizuya Matsufuji
  • Patent number: 6116115
    Abstract: A converter housing of a hydrodynamic torque converter with a driver, is formed with a converter cover which is rotatable about a center axis. The driver is arranged at a side of the cover facing a drive in an area preferably extending substantially radially. The driver is in an operative connection with a receptacle of a drive element which is associated with the drive and having a center axis aligned with that of the converter cover. The driver has a platform which is fastened to the converter cover at a predetermined radial distance to the center axis of the converter cover without consideration of the radial distance of the receptacle of the drive element from the center axis of the drive element. At a side of the driver remote from the converter cover, a driver member projects in the direction of the drive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Rudiger Hinkel
  • Patent number: 6109393
    Abstract: An output reduction gear type of manual transmission having a reduction gear chamber formed by partitions disposed on opposite sides of a reduction gear unit, an oil inflow structure comprising an oil inflow passage formed at a lower end of the reduction gear unit and tapered roller bearings supporting an output shaft and a counter shaft which are coupled by the reduction gear unit, an oil outflow structure comprising an oil tray which collects oil splashed by the counter shaft and the reduction gear unit and an oil outflow passage formed at an upper part of the reduction gear unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Toyota, Naoaki Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 6110070
    Abstract: A lubricating structure comprises an output gear 22 rotating as a unit with an output shaft 3 of a transmission mechanism, a gear 25 rotating as a unit with a counter shaft 27 and engaged with the gear 22, a gear 60 rotating as a unit with the shaft 27 and disposed spaced from the gear 25 in an axial direction, a bearing 26 and bearing 28b for rotatably supporting the shaft 27 respectively at a gear 25 side and a gear 60 side, a driving gear 65 disposed above the gear 60 and engaged with the gear 60 through an intermediate gear, a case 1a for individually accommodating through a separating wall the bearing 28b, a bearing at an intermediate gear side, and a bearing 67 at a gear 65 side, and feed paths 62,64 formed within the shaft 27 for introducing oil moved into an accommodating portion 70 of the gear 28b in the case 1a to a gear 25 side thereby to supply the oil to a predetermined portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignees: Jatco Corporation, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Nagai, Haruhito Mori, Masaki Nakano
  • Patent number: 6105464
    Abstract: A housing for an axle driving apparatus which is partitioned therein through an inner wall into a first chamber for housing therein a hydrostatic transmission and a second chamber for housing therein a drive train for transmitting power outputted from the hydrostatic transmission to axles. An oil filter is disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber. The first chamber and the second chamber are filled with oil which can flow between the first chamber and the second chamber through an oil filter, whereby the volume of oil, which varies as the temperature of the oil in the first chamber rises or lowers, can be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Shimizu
  • Patent number: 6105710
    Abstract: A transmission (14) for a vehicle (2) having a motor (9) including a motor unit (33) and an output shaft, the motor (9) being arranged outside the longitudinal center plane (7) of the vehicle (2). The transmission (14) comprises a reducing transmission (19) including a housing (22) for a fixed connection to the motor unit (33) and an output shaft (37) arranged out of line with respect to its input shaft (16), a transfer transmission (21) for driving drive shafts (11) arranged in the region of the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle (2), the transfer transmission (21) including a housing (27) and an output shaft (18) arranged out of line with respect to its input shaft (38). The housing (27) of the transfer transmission (21) is provided for a fixed connection to the housing (22) of the reducing transmission (19).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Clark Equipment Beigium N.V.
    Inventor: Bart Vandepitte
  • Patent number: 6105463
    Abstract: A casing adapted for use in carrying a transmission or transaxle assembly. The casing includes a main casing section having an opening and a cap disposed over the opening wherein the cap and the main casing section are adapted for snap fit engagement. In a first embodiment, the main casing section has a first lip formed around the perimeter of the opening and the cap has a second lip wherein the first and second lips are adapted for snap fit engagement. In a second embodiment, the main casing section has a lip formed around the perimeter of the opening and the cap comprises a plurality of clips wherein the lip and the plurality of clips are adapted for snap fit engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Hydro-Gear Limited Partnership
    Inventor: Ronald Sporrer
  • Patent number: 6098740
    Abstract: An axle driving unit having a housing (21,22) for supporting a first axle (17) for mounting thereon a first driving wheel (3L), and a longer second axle (18) for mounting thereon a second driving wheel (3R). The axle driving unit is eccentrically mounted on a body frame (1) in proximity to the first driving wheel (3L). A speed change transmission (T) is disposed in an enlarged region of the housing that extends substantially perpendicularly with respect to the axles (17,18). The axle driving unit can thus be easily disposed to the side of a chute (6) of a rear-discharge type lawn tractor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignees: Kanzaki Kokyukoki Mfg. Co. Ltd., Tuff Torq
    Inventors: Robert Abend, Norihiro Ishii, Ryota Ohashi
  • Patent number: 6092433
    Abstract: A vehicle transmission assembly includes a main gear box that supports an auxiliary gear box assembly, such as a range gear box. The main gear box has a shaft that is coupled to a shaft of the range gear box assembly. The range gear box assembly includes selectively engageable range gears, a shifting assembly, and a range piston assembly. The range piston assembly includes a single piece housing, an air filter regulator, and a range position sensor. The sensor monitors range selection of the range gears and produces a range position signal that is sent to an electronic control unit. The air regulator is threadably attached to the single piece housing and provides air to a pneumatic piston that resides in the housing. The pneumatic piston is used to control the positioning of the range gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: ZF Meritor, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jonathan S. Rose, Kenneth T. Picone, Peggy Marie Garrett
  • Patent number: 6085615
    Abstract: A bracket for connecting a solenoid to a vehicle transmission includes a solenoid of the type that activates a valve for transmission fluid, and the solenoid includes an alignment member. The bracket includes a centerplate on which the solenoid can be mounted. The centerplate has alignment surfaces for receiving the alignment member of the solenoid to align the solenoid with respect to the bracket. An attachment appendage is detachably secured to the bracket, where the attachment appendage has an attachment opening to accommodate a fastener to secure the bracket to the transmission. The attachment appendage can be removed from the centerplate to allow the bracket to fit any one of a group of several vehicle transmissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Rostra Precision Controls, Inc.
    Inventor: W. Scott Kirkendall
  • Patent number: 6082220
    Abstract: A power transmission 14 for an engine 10 is structured such that a mounting surface 16A of a gear case (a front cover 16) with respect to a crank case 19, is line symmetrical with respect to a crank shaft 20 and that mounting holes 61A-61H of the gear case (the front cover 16) with respect to the crank case 19 are disposed in a point symmetrical position with respect to the crank shaft 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: HKS Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Goichi Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 6082221
    Abstract: A two-piece housing is provided with several bores (3, 4) which extend through the two housing sections (1, 2). Each bore (3, 4) is concentrically surrounded by a centering in each housing section (1, 2), which is in the shape of an internal centering in one housing section and an external centering in the other housing section. These bores (3, 4) are manufactured in each housing section (1, 2) together with the respective concentrically surrounding centering and in one process step with a drilling tool which includes two cutters (8, 9, 10) adapted to the diameters of the bore and the centering respectively. Subsequently, the housing sections (1, 2) provided with the bores (3, 4) and centerings are assembled in such a way that the centerings fittingly interengage. (FIG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Flender-Himmelwerk GmbH
    Inventors: Georg Boing, Hans-Albert Schaupp, Wolfgang Schnurr, Robert Stoll
  • Patent number: 6076419
    Abstract: A plastic gear is rotatably supported on at least one plastic fixed support stud, which is preferably formed of plastic and molded on a metal support plate. The fixed support stud has three equiangularly spaced lobes extending from its outer surface without any nominal clearance with an inner surface of a hub of a plastic gear defining a bore in the gear hub to receive the fixed support stud. The lobes cause deformation of portions of the gear hub between the adjacent lobes. By increasing the clearance between the outer surface of the fixed support stud and the inner surface of the gear hub, spaces are provided between the adjacent lobes to allow portions of the inner surface of the gear hub to extend thereinto due to the deformation of the plastic. This reduces the vibration or jitter of the plastic gear, which is the output gear of a gear train for driving a photoconductive drum of a laser printer to improve its print quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel George Mlejnek, Harald Portig, Richard Andrew Seman, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6076428
    Abstract: An axle assembly for use in lawn tractors, pedestrian walk-behind mowers and snow blowers in the form of a housing having an internally disposed hydrostatic transmission and speed reducing gearing. An input shaft supported in the housing for driving a variable-displacement hydraulic pump of the hydrostatic transmission, the pump fluidly coupled to a fixed-displacement hydraulic motor of the hydrostatic transmission, and where the motor is drivingly connected through the speed reducing gearing to an output axle shaft or shafts. A mechanical differential disposed within said housing for applications requiring differential speeds of said axle output shafts. The housing being formed by three housing members and joined together along a substantially planar and horizontally peripheral seam formed there between such that two of said housing members are to one side of said seam and join with the third housing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Unipat AG
    Inventors: Christian Helmut Thoma, George Duncan McRae Arnold
  • Patent number: 6073517
    Abstract: Connection piece for connecting a housing (4) of a drive unit (2) with a housing (5) of a compressor element (1). The connection piece is provided with ribs (12) over at least a part of its wall, the height of the ribs (12) being at least equal to one and a half times a thickness of the part of the wall upon which the rib is standing and the thickness of the ribs (12), half-way up the height, being equal to at least half of the thickness of the part of the wall. The ribs (12) form a pattern which divides the wall into adjacent wall segments (13) which have a first characteristic mode for bending that has a resonant frequency which excludes excitation by substantially all excitation frequencies up to and including a highest of the compressor element (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Assignee: Atlas Copco Airpower, naamloze vennootschap
    Inventors: Raphael Henri Maria Pauwels, Willy Joseph Rosa Bodart, Philip Xavier Jacques Veys
  • Patent number: 6068571
    Abstract: An adjustment collar for a positioning a ring gear to a differential case. The ring gear is splined to the differential case so as to allow axial displacement. The adjustment collar is threaded onto the differential case adjacent to the ring gear. The adjustment collar is rotated to axially position the adjustment collar, and consequently the ring gear relative to the differential case and axle assembly. The adjustment collar and ring gear are bolted to one another to prevent relative rotation there between. Because the ring gear is splined to the differential case, relative rotation between the ring gear and differential case, and consequently the adjustment collar and the differential case, is prevented. Because the ring gear and adjustment collar are locked to one another, the two components are thus prevented from both axial and rotational movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventor: Earl James Irwin
  • Patent number: 6065369
    Abstract: In an air breather structure in a transmission, a partition wall 2 defining an air breather chamber S extends substantially vertically downward in a curved configuration at a distance from a corner portion 1a of a transmission case to increase volume of the air breather chamber S. An oil entrance 4 is formed in an upper portion of the partition wall 2. An oil exit 5 wider than the oil entrance 4 is formed in a lower end portion of the partition wall 2 for discharging oil which enters the air breather chamber S. The oil exit 5 is formed between a lower end of the partition wall 2 and an oil-returning rib 6 projecting from the transmission case for preventing the oil from flowing upward into the air breather chamber S. With this construction, the air breather structure becomes free from "blow of oil".
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignees: Aichi Kikai Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoyuki Kosuge, Tomoyuki Hara, Toshiyuki Yamaguchi, Shinzou Gotou
  • Patent number: 6066066
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a transmission for an automotive vehicle having a clutch retainer assembly or thrust bulkhead fixedly secured to the transmission housing and interdisposed between the reverse clutch assembly and the fourth clutch assembly. A pair of thrust bearing assemblies are interdisposed between the clutch assemblies and the thrust bulkhead to transfer the axial thrust loads generated by the multiple planetary gear assemblies through the thrust bulkhead to the transmission housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Corporation
    Inventors: John C. Collins, Berthold Martin, Craig M. Renneker, Charles K. Streetman
  • Patent number: 6058793
    Abstract: A speed reducer for a mixing apparatus having a gear train mounted within a housing such that the output shaft is supported by upper and lower bearings mounted within the upper portion and base of the housing, respectively. The lower output shaft bearing preferably is mounted within a recess in the underside of the housing base below a dry well containing the output shaft. The dry well forms a lubricant sump within the housing and preferably is unitary with the housing base. By placing the output shaft bearing below the dry well in the base of the housing, the diameter of the bearing can be increased to bear larger loads without being restricted by the dry well and is better able to transmit bending and radial loads to a relatively massive portion of the housing, and is placed closer to the load, thereby minimizing the amount of unsupported output shaft projecting from the reducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Chemineer, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen A. Pasley, Ronald G. Stogdill
  • Patent number: 6058805
    Abstract: An assembly that removes air from the housing of an axle assembly in combination with the axle assembly for use with a vhicle. The assembly is vomprised of a modified differential housing having an air flow channel therein extending from an inner chamber of the housing to a face of the differentiao housing which abuts ayoke of a drive shaft, the channel emptying into an area over which an seal protector is engaged for protecting a seal provided between the yoke and the differential, the seal protector having an edge port in a circumferential edge thereof which aligns with a cooperating cored hole in a corresponding circumferential area of the housing intermittently, the seal protector being engaged to the drive shaft yode and rotating therewith. The intermittent alignment of the edge port and the cored hole allows venting of the inner chamber of the differential housing to the outside atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Navistar International Transportation Corp
    Inventor: Michael B. Merkler
  • Patent number: 6058969
    Abstract: A vent system for an automatic transmission includes a front body assembly connected to a housing of the automatic transmission and a connecting tube having a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the front body assembly. The vent system also includes a rear body assembly connected to the housing and to the second end. The vent system allows ingress and egress of air between inside and outside of the automatic transmission and prevents ingress of moisture/water and egress of transmission fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryce Arnold Bollwahn, David William Adamczyk, John D. Wagner, Ronald James Putala
  • Patent number: 6056908
    Abstract: A method for forming an integrated solenoid circuit system for a motor vehicle transmission. The method includes the steps of providing a solenoid sensor for sensing vehicle transmission states, and a manifold for powering the solenoid sensor, fabricating an electronic circuit to selectively connect the manifold and the solenoid sensor in response to sensed vehicle transmission states, configuring the electronic circuit into a predetermined configuration and molding a housing over the electronic circuit to form a single electrically insulated system construction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Borg-Warner Automotive, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregg W. Petrosky, Brian C. Fagan
  • Patent number: 6053838
    Abstract: A one-piece differential casing for a parallel-axis differential assembly is provided. The integral casing includes a drum segment defining an internal chamber and a flange segment extending radially from the outer periphery of the drum segment. The casing further includes a window aperture extending through the drum segment that communicates with the chamber, a pair of sockets formed in the axle openings to rotatably support the side gears therein, and paired sets of gear pockets. A set of first pinion pockets are formed as elongated bores which communicate with the internal chamber and have an opening through one end wall of the drum segment. In addition, a set of second pinion pockets are formed as elongated bores which communicate with the internal chamber and have an opening through the opposite end wall of the drum segment. The first and second pinion pockets are arranged in paired sets and each has an axis which is parallel to the axis of the axle openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Garrett W. Gage
  • Patent number: 6053072
    Abstract: A power transfer device for a motor vehicle having a modular housing assembly which supports a geartrain. A first embodiment of the modular housing assembly includes a case having unitary sidewall with terminal edges defining two opposed openings. The sidewall also defines an interior chamber and the openings are enclosed by a pair of cover plates. Pillow blocks are used to support the drive components of the geartrain within the chamber and are secured to shelves which extend from the sidewall. Loads created during operation are transmitted from the geartrain to the sidewall. The cover plates are secured to the terminal edges of the sidewall using a plurality of U-shaped spring clamps. A second embodiment of the modular housing assembly includes a box-like case having one open side. A cover plate is used to enclose the geartrain and lubrication fluid within the interior volume of the box-like case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: New Venture Gear, Inc.
    Inventor: Carl D. Schleuder
  • Patent number: 6044931
    Abstract: A lubrication system is provided for a transmission including a lubrication pump driven by a reverse idler gear. The lubrication pump is supported by a partition plate having an inlet passage and an outlet passage formed therein for communicating with the lubrication pump. The outlet passage communicates with an input shaft extending through the partition plate for supplying lubrication fluid to a central passage in the input shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: Chrysler Corporation
    Inventors: Richard G. Reed, Jr., Donald L. Carriere
  • Patent number: 6045479
    Abstract: A housing for differential mechanism is formed in two pieces using a cold flow-forming process. Each of the housing portions is formed with an internal hemispherical surface, and semi-circular recesses, which when aligned form circular recesses within which a pinion shaft is seated. A subassembly that includes the pinion shaft, pinion gears, side bevel gears, and a thin plastic liner surrounding the subassembly is located within a lower housing portion so that the pinion shaft is seated in the recesses. The upper housing portion is inserted within the upper portion and welded. A ring gear is joined to a housing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alfred Balacan Victoria, Kenneth H Goff, Jr., Lawrence Jensen Budge, Joseph A. Szuba, Christian Peter Schmitz
  • Patent number: 6045478
    Abstract: The present invention refers to a transmission unit comprising a transmission input, a transmission output, at least one first main transmission stage and a second main transmission stage connected in series therewith, and a housing encompassing said first and second main transmission stages in common, at least said first main transmission stage being defined by a gear/shaft carrier provided with at least one shaft and at least two gears, and the thus defined first main transmission stage being replaceably inserted in a reception bore of the housing as a modular unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Inventors: Rolf Ziegler, Dieter Ebert
  • Patent number: 6041881
    Abstract: A transmission casing for a tractor, eg on agricultural tractor, having a three point linkage for lifting implements, incorporates reinforcing bars (22) running the length of the casing to the top and on each side. Turnbuckles (26) allow the bars (22) to be placed in tension, thereby placing in compression the upper parts of the castings (1, 2, 3) making up the body of the transmission casing. In this way, the load bearing capacity of the casing the and thus of the tractor may be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignee: Agco Limited
    Inventor: Sion Morgan Owen
  • Patent number: 6036611
    Abstract: A drive mechanism (10, 110) for driving first and second displacement members (12, 14, 112, 114) disposed in tandem. The mechanism includes first and second driven sprockets (16, 18; 116, 118) for respective ones of the displacement members, a hydraulic motor (20; 120), and first and second driving sprockets (22, 24; 122, 124) disposed on the casing of the hydraulic motor so as to be rotated thereby. The mechanism also includes first and second chains (26, 28; 126, 128) disposed in a chain case (30; 130), each chain being engaged on a respective driven sprocket and on a respective driving sprocket. The hydraulic motor (20, 120) is a low-speed high-torque motor, having radial cylinders and a rotary casing. The motor is substantially contained in the chain case (30; 130).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Poclain Hydraulics Industrie
    Inventors: Louis Bigo, Pascal Le Yaouanq, Jean-Noel Pogneau, Gilbert Mahe, Vincent Siquier, Jean-Claude Lallier, Dany Leturque
  • Patent number: 6035956
    Abstract: An offset axle (1) for low-platform town buses. It solves the problem of making it possible to integrate disc brakes in the offset axle system without reducing the aisle width of the platform in the vehicle in the area of the axle and obtaining a sufficiently low platform level in spite of the gantry being significantly lowered owing to design requirements. Disposed eccentrically in the offset axle (1) is a differential (2) the axle shafts of which are each inserted into a drive pinion (5) of a gantry drive (3) with demultiplication effect, the drive being freely mounted in a self-centering manner between two intermediate pinions (6) each of which transmits half the drive power to a spur wheel (7) in order to drive the wheels. Owing to the two gantry drives (3), the axle shafts (4) are lower than the wheel axles by the depth of the gantry. The axle shafts (4) are mounted eccentrically on the upper edge of the interior of the axle bridge housing (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Dieter Maurer, Werner Brysch, Klaus Alesch, Johann Amsl
  • Patent number: 6033148
    Abstract: A boat lift motor and drive assembly includes a rigid mounting plate supporting a boat lift motor, a drive shaft thereof carrying a drive pulley, a pulley belt entrained about the drive pulley and a driven pulley, the driven pulley being connected to a shaft of a worm gear, the worm gear being in mesh with a drive gear, and the drive gear being connected to an output shaft which is in turn connected to a reel having wound thereon a boat lift cable which is connected to a boat platform for lifting and lowering a boat resting thereon. The lift motor and drive assembly as covered by a housing defined by first and second housing bodies with a first of the housing bodies including a recess for receiving the driven pulley and accommodating the same and also including a frusto-conical wall defining a protective shroud for the winding reel shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Norfolk Fabrication, Inc.
    Inventors: Lynn P. Norfolk, David Charles Peterson, Jr., Ronald Price Ranere, Russell V. Welton
  • Patent number: 6032550
    Abstract: A right angle drive gearbox (10) having a housing (12) defined by a pair of housing members (14, 16). The housing has a first opposed pair of cylindrical openings that are formed by opposed semi-cylindrical recesses (42, 46) in opposed side walls of one of the housing members and a second opposed pair of cylindrical openings that are formed by opposed semi-cylindrical recesses (44, 48) in opposed side walls of the other of the housing members. A first shaft (24) is rotatingly supported in the first opposed pair of cylindrical openings, and a second shaft (20) is rotatingly supported in the second opposed pair of cylindrical openings, the longitudinal central axes of the first and second shafts being spaced apart from one another and otherwise extending perpendicularly with respect to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc.
    Inventor: William B. Rugh