Abstract: A process for improving the durability of a differential, where the differential has a pinion shaft and a pinion, the pinion shaft having a surface that contacts the surface of the inner diameter of the pinion. The process comprises bonding to the surface of the pinion shaft or the pinion or both, in the region of the interface between the pinion shaft and pinion, a coating having both a lower coefficient of friction and higher seizure resistance than that of the substance of the pinion shaft when in contact with the substance of the pinion.

Abstract: An epicyclic gear system (A, B), which is highly compact, yet capable of transferring substantial torque, includes a sun gear (2, 62), a ring gear (4, 64) around the sun gear, and planet gears (6, 8, 66, 68) organized in two rows between the sun and ring gears. In addition, the gear system has a carrier (10, 70) provided with one or two flanges (14, 72, 74) and flexible pins (20, 22, 80, 82) around which the planet gears revolve. The planet gears are mounted on the pins in a double cantilever arrangement to improve the mesh with the sun and ring gears and achieve better load distribution.

Abstract: A wedge loading mechanism for an eccentric planetary traction drive in which a roller having a flexibly mounted shaft is positioned between two raceways forming a convergent wedge. Rotation of either of the two raceways wedges the roller within the convergent wedge squeezing the roller between the two raceways thereby transmitting rotational motion and torque between the two raceways. The flexibly mounted shaft generates differences between an effective supporting stiffness of the roller and an contact effective stiffness at the points where the roller contacts the two raceways. The difference in the effective stiffness allow the roller to operate efficiently at smaller convergent wedge angles.

Abstract: A clutch (A,B) includes a cam (20,70) and a rotor (22,74), both of which revolve around a common axis (X). The cam has a camming surface (30,72) provided with lobes (32), whereas the rotor carries pistons (26,80) which bear against the camming surface of the cam. The pistons project from piston cavities (40,42; 76) in the rotor and those cavities communicate through a connecting cavity (44,78), to thereby form a fluid chamber (56,82) of constant volume which contains a magneto-rheological fluid (28,84). An electrical coil controls the viscosity of the rheological fluid. When the viscosity is low, the pistons will move inwardly and outwardly on the rotor as the camming surface passes over them and no torque will transfer between the cam and rotor. However, when the fluid is viscous, the fluid will impede displacement of the pistons in the piston cavities, and the pistons will grip the camming surface sufficiently to enable torque to transfer between the cam and rotor.

Abstract: A load sensing bearing assembly comprises a bearing outer race secured to an application structure by a flange assembly incorporating a plurality of anisotropic spring regions which enable a limited range of displacement and/or rotation of the bearing outer race relative to the application structure in response to applied forces or moments. A set of sensor modules disposed through the bearing outer race and flange assembly acquire measurements from which the radial forces, thrust forces, and tilting moments exerted on the bearing outer race can be determined.

Abstract: A differential for delivering vectored torque to left and right axle shafts that rotate about an axis includes a cage which rotates about the axis as a consequence of torque applied to it. The cage contains gearing that transfers the torque to the axle shafts while accommodating for variances in angular velocity between the axle shafts. In addition, the differential has left and right torque diverters, each of which includes a ring gear on the cage, a sun gear on the axle shaft with which it is identified, planet gears between the ring and sun gears, and a carrier for providing axes about which the planet gears rotate. Each diverter also has a brake which resists rotation of the carrier for the diverter and thereby causes torque to transfer from the cage to the axle shaft while bypassing the gearing. The brakes control the torque delivered to the axle shafts, so the differential has the capacity to vector the torque applied to its cage.

Abstract: A backing ring that serves to back an antifriction bearing on the journal of a rail car axle includes an annular body that seats against a fillet that is located at the end of the journal and also a lip that projects over a larger dust guard diameter that is located on the axle immediately beyond the fillet. In addition, the backing ring includes a stabilizing element which cooperates with the lip and with the dust guard diameter to lessen the tendency of the annular body to work against the fillet and create a fretting wear when the journal undergoes cyclic flexures. The stabilizing element accommodates dust guard diameters of varying size. The stabilizing element may also establish a seal between the lip and the dust guard diameter.

Abstract: A stabilizer bar for controlling the roll of an automotive vehicle has left and right sections, each provided with a torsion rod and a torque arm. The torsion rods are aligned along a transverse axis and attached to a structural component of the vehicle, while the torque arms are connected to the left and right control arms of the vehicle's suspension system. In addition, the bar has a coupling between the torsion rods of the two sections for controlling the torsional stiffness of the bar. The coupling includes a rotor fitted to one of the torsion rods and a housing fitted to the other torsion rod, with the housing receiving the rotor, such that a cavities exist between the rotor and housing. Both the rotor and housing carry vanes, that alternate so that the vanes of the rotor are located between the vanes of the housing. The cavities contain a magneto-rheological fluid.

Abstract: A shaft rotates in a housing on two single row tapered roller bearings mounted in opposition such that the raceways of the one bearing taper downwardly toward the raceways of the other bearing. The metal from which the housing is formed has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the metal from which the shaft and bearings are formed. The bearings are set to preload to stabilize the axis of rotation. To prevent the cups (outer races) of the bearings from becoming loose as a consequence of differential thermal expansion between the housing and shaft, the cups are provided with beveled back faces which abut beveled shoulders at the ends of bearing seats in the housing. As the housing expands radially and perhaps eliminates radial interference fits between the cups and housing, the housing also expands axially and maintains the beveled shoulders of the bearing seats firmly abutted against the beveled back faces of the cups, so that the cups do not displace either axially or radially.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the speed of a target object passing a pair of sensor units (12) displaced apart by a predetermined distant L in the direction of motion of the target object (16). Passage of one or more features of the target object (16) past the first sensor unit (12A) results in the generation of a signal (x1), and passage of the same feature of the target object (16) past the second sensor unit (12B) results in the generate of a second signal, (x2). A signal processor (18) is configured to determine a mathematical correlation between signals (x1) and (x2), and an associated time delay (?0). The speed (v) of the target object (16) is calculated by the signal processor (18) as the ratio of the predetermined distance (L) to the time delay (?0).

Abstract: A thermally compensated differential comprises a housing, a pinion gear mounted into the housing, a differential case carrying a ring gear with the case being supported by a first roller bearing and a second roller bearing with the bearings being mounted indirectly, and the first and second roller bearings being contacted by adjustable spacers.

Abstract: An eccentric planetary traction drive transmission which includes at least two planetary rollers, sun roller member, and a carrier member. One of the planetary rollers is flexible and is positioned between and in contact with an outer ring member and the sun roller member. Rotation of either the outer ring member or the sun roller member wedges the flexible planetary roller within a convergent wedge gap which squeezes the flexible planetary roller between the outer ring member and the sun roll member. Friction between the flexible planetary roller, the sun roller member, and the outer ring member transmits rotational motion and torque between the outer ring member and the sun roller member. The other at least one supporting planetary roller is a supporting roller which supports the sun roller member and the carrier member. A plurality of bearings supports the sun roller member within the outer ring member and the at least one supporting planetary roller.

Abstract: A locking ring assembly retains a bearing to a shaft rotatably supported on a first axis of rotation. Guide pins or rods extend axially from an annularly shaped bearing retainer slideably disposed on the shaft towards the pressure ring, also slideably disposed on the shaft. The heads of the guide pins are slideably disposed and captured in adjusting apertures of the pressure ring. A multi part pressure screw assembly are provided in the adjusting apertures of the pressure ring. Such pressure screws translate axially in the apertures of the pressure ring when rotated, with the thrust pads engaging the heads of the guide pins to displace the pressure ring from the bearing retainer. The pressure ring reacts against a reactive element or ring disposed on the shaft opposite the bearing retainer to develop an axial pressure load against the bearing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automating the measurement of straightness of linear stock material produced by the operation of a mill. As the linear stock material exits from the mill, sensors acquire a sequence of image or distance measurement pairs associated with the material at discrete longitudinal points over a segment of the material. A processing system utilizes the data pairs to determine a set of centroids for a segment of the material. A virtual axis is identified between centroids associated with the segment, and the processing system determines a measure of deviation of each remaining centroid in a segment from the virtual axis to identify a degree of concavity of the material within the segment, as well as to identify a measure of the angular orientation of the concavity about the virtual axis.

Abstract: A wheel end (A, B, C) for mounting a road wheel (W) of an automotive vehicle includes a knuckle (2) having a bearing cavity (20, 24, 26), a hub having a spindle (40) that projects into the bearing cavity of the knuckle and a flange (42) at one end of the spindle, with the road wheel being attached to it, and a bearing (6) located within the bearing cavity and around the spindle of the hub to enable the hub to rotate on the spindle. The bearing includes tapered rollers (72) organized in outboard and inboard rows as well as raceways (60, 76, 82) along which they roll. The rollers of the inboard row roll along tapered raceways on a cup pressed into the bearing cavity and a cone (66) pressed over the spindle.

Abstract: A speed sensor (B, C) produces a signal that reflects the angular velocity of a shaft (4) which rotates in a case (2) having a mounting surface (10), beyond which the shaft projects to provide a target (6), and threaded holes (12) which open out of the mounting surface. The speed sensor includes a housing (20) and a sensing element (22) which is embedded in the housing. The housing, which is formed from a deformable material, has slots (44, 60) which align with the threaded holes in the case, and receive screws (24, 66) which thread into the holes to secure the speed sensor to the case. The speed sensor is positioned such that the proper air gap exists between its sensing element and the target. The screws, which extend through the slots, produce indentations (56, 74) in the deformable material of the housing, and these indentations receive the screws, so that the position of the sensor is fixed. Thus, the sensor, if removed, may be reinstalled in the same location.

Abstract: A method for power management in an electro-mechanical power-split infinitely variable transmission (eVT) designed to be operated within a designated speed ratio range for vehicular applications. The eVT is comprised of an input shaft coupled to the output shaft of a drive engine to receive power, a drive shaft, two electric machines, and a pair of planetary trains each having a sun member, a ring member, a set of planetary members, and a planet carrier. The eVT further contains one or more torque transfer devices to connect or disconnect members of the planetary trains for transferring torque. The drive shaft is coupled with a final drive of a vehicle for delivering or recapturing power to or from the vehicle drive wheels. The two electric machines are interconnected electronically via a power control unit and are coupled respectively with members of the planetary train.

Abstract: An integrated speed reducer and gerotor pump is disclosed. The device comprises a motor, a speed reducer, and a gerotor pump. The motor provides torque at an elevated speed. The speed reducer is coupled with the motor and converts the torque at an elevated speed into torque at a reduced speed. The gerotor pump is coupled with the speed reducer and uses the torque at the reduced speed for pumping fluids.

Abstract: An epicyclic gear system (A) has a sun gear (2), a ring gear (4) located around the sun gear, and planet gears (6) located between and engaged with sun and ring gears. In addition, it has a carrier (8) including a carrier flange (30) offset axial from the planet gears, carrier pins (34) projecting from the carrier flange into the planet gears, and bearings (72) between the planet gears and the carrier pins so that the planet gears rotate on the pins. Each bearing includes an inner race (46) having tapered raceways (56) presented away from the carrier pin, opposing tapered raceways (24) on the ring gear, and tapered rollers (70) organized rows between the raceways. Whereas the carrier pin is cantilevered from the carrier flange, the inner race is cantilevered from the carrier pin remote from the carrier flange, and this insures that the axes (Y) about which the planet gears rotate remain parallel to the central axis (X) of the system.

Abstract: A bearing assembly which couples a road wheel to a suspension system component on an automotive vehicle includes a hub to which the wheel is attached and a housing which is attached to the suspension system component. The housing has two tapered raceways which surround raceways on cones that are fitted on the hub. Organized in two rows between the raceways of the housing and cones are tapered rollers which roll along the raceways when the wheel rotates. The rollers as they pass over the outer raceway impart minute flexures to the housing and these flexures are monitored by multiple strain sensors on the housing. The strains—and the signals produced by the sensors—reflect conditions at the region of contact between a tire on the road wheel and the road surface over which the tire rolls.