Resilient Member Patents (Class 475/347)
  • Patent number: 6490940
    Abstract: The motor vehicle starter (10) has a casing (18) in which there is arranged an electric motor (12) which rotates a coaxial starter head (22) with the interposing of an epicyclic gearbox (34) including a ring gear (44) made of rigid material (M1) which is housed at least partially in a cavity (58) in the casing and which has an internally toothed cylindrical annular skirt (46) closed at its front axial end by a radially oriented transverse wall (50) with a hole at its centre (52) for the output shaft (42) of the gearbox to pass; the ring gear (44) has pins (P) moulded from a flexible material (M2), notably elastomer material, which are interposed between the ring gear (44) and complementary portions (68) of the cavity (58) of the casing (16, 18) in order to immobilise the ring gear (44) rotationally with respect to the casing (18) and provide a function of torsion damping between these two components (44, 18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Valeo Equipements Electriques Moteur
    Inventors: José Izquierdo, Pascal Jacquin, Pierre Valot
  • Patent number: 6435998
    Abstract: A drive train of a motor vehicle includes a gear arrangement with at least two gear elements moveable relative to one another acts in a torque transmission path between an internal combustion engine and a transmission. The gear arrangement being connected between a drive-side flywheel mass and a gear-side flywheel mass. The gear arrangement includes at least one additional mass having a center of gravity (Sp) which is displaceable radially in relation to an axis of rotation (D) of the torque transmission path as a function of a relative position of the at least two gear elements. In the event of a change in the relative rotary angle between the flywheel masses, a moment of inertia of the torque transmission path also changes, so that there is no definite resonant point and the torque transmission path takes effect as a self-steadying system. Furthermore, the additional mass may be arranged to generate a centrifugally dependent return force directed toward a specific relative rotary angle position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann, Sachs AG
    Inventors: Jörg Sudau, Erwin Wack, Peter Frey
  • Patent number: 6368221
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper with a driving-side transmission element and a driven-side transmission element which is rotatable relative to the driving-side transmission element and which is connected with the driving-side transmission element by a damping device. A gearset having at least a driving-side gearset element and a driven-side gearset element is associated with the damping device, wherein introduced torsional vibrations can be transmitted to the damping device with gear shifting by means of the gearset. The gearset is provided with a shift mechanism for separating the driving-side gearset element and the driven-side gearset element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Jörg Sudau
  • Patent number: 6343527
    Abstract: A coupling device having a drive-side centrifugal mass, which is actively connected in rotation-proof fashion to a driving gear that acts on the drive train. On the centrifugal mass, there is an accommodating fixture that faces the driving gear and is equipped with a tooth system. The driving gear has an axial shoulder that, on its end facing the accommodating fixture, is also embodied with a tooth system. At least one tooth of the tooth system of the driving gear is pressed, under radial prestress, into the space between two teeth of the tooth system of the accommodating fixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Wolfgang Kundermann
  • Patent number: 6344009
    Abstract: The gear consists of a housing (12) to which a drive motor (10) is flanged. Its shaft (1) carries a sun wheel (2) on which multiple planets (3) roll off. The planets (3) are positioned on a planetary carrier (6) which is rigidly connected to the output shaft (9). The shaft (9) is supported in the housing (12) coaxial to the shaft (1). Mounted to the housing (12) is a flange (17) of a cup-shaped annular wheel (8). Its lower rim (16) has a running surface (7) inside, on which the planets (3) roll off. The diameter of the running surface (7) is smaller than the sum of the diameter of the sun wheel (2) and twice the diameter of the planets (3), so that the rim (16) is elastically deformed. The planets (3) are supported rigidly in the circumferential direction and flexibly in the radial direction on the planetary carrier (6). Through this implementation, a backlash-free, rotationally very rigid gear is obtained with which high torques can be transferred in smooth operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2002
    Assignee: Reishauer AG
    Inventor: Walter Wirz
  • Patent number: 6290625
    Abstract: A small backlash planetary gear assembly can achieve a large torque capacity while minimizing backlash. The small backlash planetary gear assembly has an assembly housing, an internal gear, a sun gear arranged inside of the internal gear in concentric fashion, a plurality of planet gears meshing with the internal gear and the sun gear, and a carrier rotatably supporting the planet gears. The internal gear includes an annular boss fixed to said assembly housing, a thin wall annular body portion extending from one axial end of the boss in cantilever fashion and internal gear teeth formed on the inner peripheral surface of the annular body portion so that the thin wall annular body portion may absorb tolerance in assembling and tolerance in gear machining in respective components by resilient deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Harmonic Drive Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Norio Shirokoshi
  • Patent number: 6231472
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper for a lockup clutch of a hydrodynamic clutch device has a drive-side damper element which is in an operative connection with a turbine shell and a driven-side damper element which is connected with the drive-side damper element via a damping device having at least one energy accumulator acting in the circumferential direction and is in a working connection with a turbine hub. The drive-side damper element is constructed as a planetary carrier for at least one gear unit element of a planetary gear set, while the driven-side damper element acts as another gear unit element of the planetary gear set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Jörg Sudau, Erwin Wack, Christoph Sasse
  • Patent number: 6162143
    Abstract: A two speed transmission formed as a pre-transmission for an auxiliary aggregate in motor vehicles having a drive shaft which forms an input shaft, a driven shaft which forms an output shaft, and a planetary transmission which couples the drive shaft with the driven shaft, the planetary transmission having a planetary carrier which is non rotatably arranged on the drive shaft and carries at least one inner planetary gear which rolls on a sun gear, the inner planetary gear being coupled with an outer planetary gear turnably supported around a rotary axis of the inner planetary gear, the outer planetary gear rolling on a hollow gear which is non rotatably arranged on the driven shaft, the hollow gear having an inner toothed rim and an outer toothed rim, the outer planetary gear rolling on the inner toothed rim or on the outer toothed rim of the hollow gear, depending on an input rotary speed of the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventor: Klaus-Peter Schnelle
  • Patent number: 6126568
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper at a bridge clutch of a hydrodynamic torque converter is constructed with a drive-side transmission element which can be brought into a working connection with the converter housing and is connected with a driven-side transmission element by a coupling mechanism provided with an energy accumulator acting in the circumferential direction. The driven-side transmission element is fixed with respect to rotation relative to a driven-side structural component part of the torque converter. The transmission elements, together with the coupling device, form a gear unit with gear unit elements via which the secondary diagonal of the mass matrix is occupied for forming a decoupling frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Jorg Sudau
  • Patent number: 6119840
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper for arrangement in a drive train of an automobile comprises three flywheel mass arrangements arranged so as to be rotatable both jointly and relative to one another about a common first axis of rotation. At least two of the three flywheel mass arrangements are torsionally elastically coupled to one another by a spring arrangement. The three flywheel mass arrangements are coupled to one another via a roller gear. The first flywheel mass arrangement has a first toothing along at least a part circumference and the third flywheel mass arrangement has a second toothing along at least a part circumference. The second flywheel mass arrangement has at least one roller carrier mounted so as to be rotatable about a second axis of rotation and a plurality of roller bodies which roll on part regions of the first toothing and on part regions of the second toothing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Martin Dettmar
  • Patent number: 6117041
    Abstract: A planetary gear set is disclosed that includes self-aligning carrier shafts for the planetary gears that greatly reduces the wear to the carrier shaft caused by torque-induced loads on the planetary gear set. The carrier shaft includes a first cantilevered member extending from a carrier deck, which is connected, to a second cantilevered member that extends toward the carrier deck. A bearing member of the planetary gear is mounted to the second cantilevered member and the planetary gear is mounted to the bearing member. Under a torque-induced load on the planetary gear, the first cantilevered member is deflected in a first direction and the second cantilevered member is deflected in a second direction opposite the first direction, thus a carrier shaft designed in accordance with the present invention enables offsetting deflections under torque-induced loads leading to a reduction in the wear of the bearing member and the carrier shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2000
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Bennett W. Avery, Laurence J. Cobb, Valerie R. Wiest
  • Patent number: 6106430
    Abstract: A rotary vibration damping device for damping rotary vibrations in a drive train through which the output torque of an internal combustion engine is transmitted in a drive power flow direction to driving wheels ot a motor vehicle. The damping device includes a first inertial mass arrangement that is connected to a crank shaft of the internal combustion engine for the purpose of rotation around a rotational axis, a second inertial mass arrangement that is connected via a spring device to the first inertial mass arrangement for common rotation around the rotational axis and for relative rotation with respect to the first inertial mass arrangement, and at least a third inertial mass arrangement that is connected to the drive train before the spring device in the drive power flow direction for rotation around the rotational axis. The third inertial mass arrangement can be disconnected from the drive train, with respect to rotary drive, when a predetermined operating state is attained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Bernd Peinemann
  • Patent number: 6099434
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper for a lockup clutch of a hydrodynamic torque converter is provided with a drive-side damper element which is in operative connection with energy accumulators of a damping device and is provided with a driven-side damper element serving to support the energy accumulators in the circumferential direction. The individual energy accumulators are connected with one another by sliding elements which are movable in the circumferential direction along a guide path. The guide path is accommodated at one of the damper elements and a securing device for securing against axial movements of the sliding elements is associated with the guide path. This securing device is formed at the side of the guide path which faces the sliding elements and has a positive engagement with at least one of the sliding elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Christoph Sasse, Jorg Sudau, Wolfgang Kundermann
  • Patent number: 6086504
    Abstract: Proposed is a design of a planetary gear (24) and a clutch-brake arrangement, preferably for a CVT (3). Here the ring gear (27) of the planetary gear (24) is integrally designed with a radially mounted buffer disc (30). Further, the end disc (40) and the external disc carrier (36) of the clutch (46) or brake (34) are also integral and of multi-disc design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Dietmar Illerhaus
  • Patent number: 6080078
    Abstract: A planetary gear is described, with a compensating coupling (9), a housing (1) enclosing the gear (2) and the compensating coupling and a planet wheel carrier (3), which has a shaft journal (4) rotatably mounted in the housing. The compensating coupling is provided on the input side of the gear (2) and its gear-side coupling part (10) at the same time forms a component of the gear and is rotatably mounted in the housing. A second compensating coupling (14) is provided on the output side of the gear (2), its gear-side coupling part (15) having a projection (17) which engages in frictional and/or interlocking manner in a recess (13) in the shaftjournal (4). The housing (1) has a housing section (1c) on the output side of the gear (2) which is an integral component of the housing (1) and encloses the second compensating coupling (14). (FIG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Jakob GmbH & Co. Antriebstechnik KG
    Inventor: Ludwig Jakob
  • Patent number: 6058802
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper has a drive-side transmission element and an output-side transmission element rotatable relative thereto that is connected to the drive-side transmission element via a damping device. The damping device includes a first gear element and a second gear element that are in a meshed engagement with each other via a first set of teeth and a second set of teeth, respectively. The sets of teeth for each gear element is provided on the axial sides of the gear elements. A positioning device axially positions the gear elements relative to each other for adjusting the penetration depth of the meshed engagement of the first and second sets of teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventors: Jorg Sudau, Bernhard Schierling
  • Patent number: 6019683
    Abstract: A two part flywheel having a torsional vibration damper with a plurality of inertial masses, for installation in the drive train of a motor vehicle. The torsional vibration damper has three inertial mass systems. A first and a second inertial mass system are oriented so that they can rotate jointly and also relative to one another around a common first axis of rotation. The first inertial mass system and the second inertial mass system are connected rotationally elastically to one another by means of a spring system. A third inertial mass system which is movable relative to the first and the second inertial mass systems is rotationally connected by a transmission system to the first and/or second inertial mass systems. One of the inertial mass systems, in particular the first inertial mass system, is designed to be connected to the crankshaft of an internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AG
    Inventor: Jorg Sudau
  • Patent number: 6003650
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper is provided with a drive-side transmission element which engages with a driven-side transmission element via a planetary gear set. The planetary gear set includes a planet wheel mounted on a planet carrier. The planet wheel engages another element of the planetary gear set such as a ring gear. The planet wheel has a toothing at its outer circumference which engages a toothing of the ring gear. The toothing of at least one of the planet wheel and the ring gear is made from a material which obviates the requirement of lubricating the toothing engagement between the planet wheel and the ring gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Mannesmann Sachs AG
    Inventor: Jurgen Kleifges
  • Patent number: 5879259
    Abstract: A transmission for an auxiliary device arranged for transmitting a driving force of an engine to an auxiliary device has a planetary-gear-type speed increasing mechanism having a first gear driven by the engine through an input shaft, a second gear connected to the auxiliary device and a third gear for locking. It is further provided with a friction clutch for connecting the third gear to a stationary member, a hydraulic actuator for pressing the friction clutch and an oil pump for feeding an oil pressure to the hydraulic actuator. A damper is disposed between the stationary member and the friction clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Tochigi Fuji Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masao Teraoka, Masayuki Sayama
  • Patent number: 5879261
    Abstract: A two-stage planetary gear unit with a fixed gear case contains a first stage planet carrier, and a second stage planet carrier. The first stage planet carrier has a first set of rotatably mounted planet wheels and a first pinion that meshes with the first planet wheels. The second stage planet carrier is formed as a one-piece component that is mounted in the gear case and supports the first stage planet carrier. Rotatably mounted within the second stage planet carrier is a second set of two planetary wheels. Furthermore, a second pinion is housed within the second stage planet carrier and meshes with the second set of planetary wheels. There are rolling contact bearings housed within fixed gear case to support the second stage planet carrier. A clamping ring is inserted into the fixed gear case and braces two of the roller contact bearings next to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Alpha Getriebebau GmbH
    Inventor: Thomas Bayer
  • Patent number: 5863274
    Abstract: A composite flywheel wherein a primary mass is rotatable by the engine of a motor vehicle and can transmit torque to a secondary mass--which serves to rotate the clutch plate of a friction clutch--by way of several sets of coil springs and a planetary transmission. A friction clutch serves to oppose certain angular movements of the primary and secondary masses relative to each other, and a slip clutch is provided to limit the magnitude of the torque which can be transmitted by the planetary transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Luk Lamellen und Kupplungsbau GmbH
    Inventor: Johann Jackel
  • Patent number: 5816973
    Abstract: A flywheel mass arrangement having a flywheel mass on the driving side, a planetary gear unit having at least one planet carrier provided with at least one planet gear that engages with at least one additional toothed wheel of the planetary gear unit, and with a flywheel mass on the driven side which can be rotationally deflected relative to the flywheel mass on the driving side. At least one of the flywheel masses has a control structure for elastic elements of a damping arrangement which act in the circumferential direction. A mass is provided at the planet gear to project radially beyond the toothing diameter of the planet gear and is arranged at an axial offset relative to at least one additional toothed wheel such as the ring gear or the sun gear of the planetary gear unit, in particular relative to the toothing engagement of the additional toothed wheel with the planet gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AG
    Inventors: Jorg Sudau, Bernhard Schierling, Hilmar Gobel
  • Patent number: 5784923
    Abstract: A toroidal drive system includes a housing composed of first and second mating housing sections having interior walls which cooperate to define a plurality of parallel, helix-like races inscribed in a torus having a circular axis. The two mating housing sections are secured together and a plurality of rotary elements are fixedly spaced apart along that axis, the elements each having an axle fixed at the axis and a plurality of removable, radially extending teeth rotatably encircling the corresponding axle, each tooth of each rotary element engaging in a different one of the plurality of races. A worm is mounted for rotation in the housing about an axis substantially perpendicular to the circular axis, that worm engaging at least one tooth of each of the plurality of rotary elements. Power take off means are connected to all of the axles and extend without the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1998
    Inventor: Manfred R. Kuehnle
  • Patent number: 5766109
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper is designed with a driving-side transmission element, with at least one planet carrier which can rotate relative to the transmission element and which planet carrier is provided with at least one plane wheel which is engaged on one hand with a sun gear and on the other hand with a ring gear, and with a driven-side transmission element. One of the transmission elements has control means for a spring device. There are centrifugal masses corresponding respectively to the driving-side transmission element and to the driven-side transmission element, at least one of which centrifugal masses is connected by means of the spring device to at least one element of the planetary gearset which acts as an intermediate mass, whereby the intermediate mass can be driven in a movement which is a function of the speed and direction of rotation of the two centrifugal masses with respect to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AG
    Inventor: Jorg Sudau
  • Patent number: 5735768
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper has an drive-side transmission element with at least one planet carrier rotatable relative thereto. The planet carrier is provided with at least one planetary gear, which is engaged with a sun gear on the one hand and with an internal gear on the other. In addition, there is an output-side transmission element, and one of the transmission elements has a control mechanism for a spring device arranged between the transmission element and at least one planetary gear train element. The planetary gear train element can be driven for a movement that depends on the speed and rotational direction of the two transmission elements relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AG
    Inventor: Jorg Sudau
  • Patent number: 5733218
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper has an input-side transmission element and an output-side transmission element, at least one of which is connected, preferably by means of a spring device, with at least one moment-transmitting element of a gear train which acts between the two transmission elements. At least one of the moment-transmitting gear train elements can be aligned before the creation of a connection to the corresponding element with some play, or clearance, at least in the radial direction, with respect to this element carrier, and after the application to the gear train of an adjustment moment which effects an alignment of this transmission element with respect to the other transmission elements as a function of the force by moving the two transmission elements into a predetermined relative position, the gear train element in question can be provided with a connection to the element carrier which fixes the element in its position where it has been aligned as a function of the force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AG
    Inventors: Jorg Sudau, Erwin Wack
  • Patent number: 5716300
    Abstract: An isolated ring gear (60) for a planetary gear drive system (12), which isolated ring gear (60) is operative transferring torque loads and reducing the transmission of high frequency vibrations from the planetary pinions (36) of the drive system (12) to an adjacent support (50). The isolated ring gear (60) includes and inner ring segment (62), an outer ring segment (64) and a plurality of spring elements (66) disposed between and integrally formed with the inner and outer ring segments (62, 64). The inner ring segment (62) has a plurality of gear teeth (62.sub.T) for being disposed in intermeshing combination with the teeth (32b.sub.T) of the planetary pinions (36) and the outer ring segment (64) is rigidly affixed to the adjacent support structure (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen R. Sammataro, Jules G. Kish, Charles J. Isabelle
  • Patent number: 5679089
    Abstract: A compact bicoupled contrarotating epicyclic gear is provided. The gear iudes a rotatable input shaft for providing an input-torque, a first-stage epicyclic gear, a second-stage epicyclic gear mutually drivably coupled to and in axial alignment with the first epicyclic gear, an outer-output shaft for conveying an outer-output-torque in response to the input-torque, and an inner-output shaft coaxial with the outer-output shaft for conveying an inner-output-torque in response to the input-torque. The bicoupled contrarotating epicyclic gear further includes at least one interstage torque carrier rotatably connecting the first and second epicyclic gears in series such that the first and second sun gears, the first and second planet carriers, and the first and second ring gears rotate and convey useful torque in response to the input-torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: William J. Levedahl
  • Patent number: 5634866
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper is designed with a driving-side transmission element, with at least one planet carrier which can rotate relative to the transmission element and which planet carrier is provided with at least one plane wheel which is engaged on one hand with a sun gear and on the other hand with a ring gear, and with a driven-side transmission element. One of the transmission elements has control means for a spring device. There are centrifugal masses corresponding respectively to the driving-side transmission element and to the driven-side transmission element, at least one of which centrifugal masses is connected by means of the spring device to at least one element of the planetary gearset which acts as an intermediate mass, whereby the intermediate mass can be driven in a movement which is a function of the speed and direction of rotation of the two centrifugal masses with respect to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AG
    Inventor: Jorg Sudau
  • Patent number: 5558594
    Abstract: A load distributing planetary gear or epicyclic transmission having a sun gear, an annulus gear and a planet wheel carrier supporting a plurality of planet wheels, all of the gears being helical and the planet wheels being simultaneously meshed with the sun gear and the annulus gear. Each planet wheel is mounted on a distal end of a flexible shaft, which is supported by the planet wheel carrier on an opposite end, by a journal which permits swivelling of the planet wheel. Each planet wheel is held in place by a component which is capable of sliding only in a plane extending substantially perpendicular to a plane passing through the axis of rotation of the planet wheel and the axis of rotation of the sun gear. The sliding component is offset axially along these axes relative to the planet wheel, preferably being located on the side of the planet wheel facing towards the planet wheel carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: Societe Hispano Suiza
    Inventors: Benedicte A. Lefranc, Hugues H. R. Linet, Michel R. C. Virmoux
  • Patent number: 5551928
    Abstract: A torsional vibration damper is designed with a driving-side transmission element, with at least one planet carrier which can rotate relative to the transmission element and which planet carrier is provided with at least one plane wheel which is engaged on one hand with a sun gear and on the other hand with a ring gear, and with a driven-side transmission element. One of the transmission elements has control means for a spring device. There are centrifugal masses corresponding respectively to the driving-side transmission element and to the driven-side transmission element, at least one of which centrifugal masses is connected by means of the spring device to at least one element of the planetary gearset which acts as an intermediate mass, whereby the intermediate mass can be driven in a movement which is a function of the speed and direction of rotation of the two centrifugal masses with respect to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: Fichtel & Sachs AG
    Inventor: Jorg Sudau
  • Patent number: 5549523
    Abstract: A present invention relates to a gear reducer for printing machine or the like comprising a hand wheel adapted to provide rough and fine adjustment nodes. The hand wheel is mounted on a sleeve adapted to be engaged with a drive shaft of said printing machine. A planet wheel mounted on the hand wheel by means of a pin shaft extending parallel to the sleeve. A drive gear mounted on the sleeve, said drive gear adapted to turn together with the sleeve. A lock means is adapted to retain the hand wheel locked on the sleeve. A fixed gear is mounted on a frame of said press machine, the fixed gear being coaxial with said drive gear. The fixed gear has a number of teeth which differs from the number of teeth of the drive gear. The hand wheel is adapted to move together with the planet wheel gear axially forwardly towards said fixed gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1996
    Assignee: Equipement Precibec Inc.
    Inventor: Pierre Doucet
  • Patent number: 5462498
    Abstract: The invention concerns a device, preferably arranged for setting inclination of a backrest of a seat, primarily a vehicle seat, comprising components which are interconnected in pairs for mutual rotational movement and which are arranged to be associated with the back rest and the seat face, respectively, of the seat. Each component of the pair is formed with a gear rim, the rims positioned adjacent one another in mutual concentric relationship, with the rim teeth meshing with the teeth of a number of planet wheel pairs, the latter rolling in mesh with the associated gear rim, thus causing the two gear rims and their associated component of the joint to turn relatively to one another, and consequently the back rest of the seat to pivot with respect to the seat part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1995
    Assignee: Linvent AB
    Inventor: Lennart Lindblad
  • Patent number: 5445574
    Abstract: A multiple-disc clutch type electronically controlled differential limiting device comprises a differential gear, a hydraulically actuated multiple-disc clutch operably disposed between a differential case and a differential side gear to produce, a differential limiting torque by engagement of the clutch, and a differential limiting controller which derives a wheel-speed difference between-right and left driven wheels and hydraulically controls an engaging force of the clutch to increasingly compensate the engaging force in accordance with an increase in the wheel-speed difference. A torsional damper is internally accommodated in the associated drive shaft. A resonance frequency of the torsional damper is set to be equal to a resonance frequency of a torsional vibration system which is constructed by a peripheral member of the differential acting as a mass moment of inertia with respect to the axis of the associated drive shaft and each drive shaft acting as a torsional spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1995
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichi Sekiguchi, Hirotaka Kusukawa, Kenichi Tobita
  • Patent number: 5370590
    Abstract: A means for securing a connection between a planetary gear unit including one or more planet gear sets and a drum member surrounding them, wherein the planet gear carrier (8) carrying the planet gears (10) rotatably mounted on planet gear spindles (9) includes a larger diameter disc member (14) connected to the open end of the drum member (16) by a projection and recess (17/18) connection. Connection is axially secured by a securing element (30) formed as a ring adjacent the disc member (14) and having at least two, and preferably three, pairs of spreading arms extending radially into the recesses (18) of the drum member (16). The recesses (18) are provided with grooves (19) located in front of the plane of the disc member (14). The end edges (36) of the radial spreading arms (32) are engageable in the grooves (19) in the circumferential direction by plastic or elastic deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1994
    Assignee: Ford Motor Company
    Inventors: Vladimir Premiski, Udo Schumann, Mark Silk
  • Patent number: 5336137
    Abstract: A seat reclining mechanism for adjusting the angular position of a seatback relative to a seat cushion by a planetary gear arrangement includes a rotatable shaft, a base plate, a pivotable arm, a control gear, a plurality of planetary gears, and a supporting member. The pivotable arm is rotatably connected to the base plate through the rotatable shaft. Each planetary gear has two opposed cylindrical projections which are outwardly biased by the supporting member against cylindrical smooth surfaces of cylindrical recesses formed on the base plate and the pivotable arm. Therefore, the planetary gears are held in a predetermined revolution orbit around the control gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1994
    Assignee: Ikeda Bussan Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadashi Kawakita
  • Patent number: 5324182
    Abstract: A rotation piston internal combustion engine has a substantially stationary housing defining a plurality of blind holes, and a rotor rotatably mounted within the housing for rotation at a substantially uniform velocity about an axis. A hub has four pistons and is rotatably mounted within the rotor for rotation about the axis at a non-uniform velocity. Four crankshafts are each rotatably mounted through a respective rib of the rotor and coupled to a respective gear wheel so that the gear wheel rotates with the crankshafts. A ring gear is coupled to the housing for engaging the gear wheels to permit rotation of the gear wheels relative to the housing. The ring gear has a plurality of apertures having a second diameter, each corresponding in position to a respective blind hole in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Assignee: Huschang Sabet
    Inventors: Huschang Sabet, Dietrich Eckhardt
  • Patent number: 5194054
    Abstract: A differential gear system for use in the driveline of a motor vehicle, having a differential carrier (1) rotating in bearing of a differential housing (1) and driven via a driving gear tooth configuration; two axle shaft gears (10, 11) rotating in bearings of the differential carrier, which are coaxial relative to each other; and compensating gears (12, 13) eccentrically supported in, and rotating with, the differential carrier, where each of the compensating gears is in one part meshed with the one axle shaft gear (10) and in another part, with the other axle shaft gear (11), while engaging each other at least indirectly, and where the axle shaft gears (10, 11) have a tooth design which, when under torque, generates an axial thrust, and where friction-reducing means are provided at all face areas of at least the axle shaft gears (10, 11) that are subjected to loads during coasting of the motor vehicle, opposite the mating surfaces of the differential carrier (1) or the respective other axle shaft gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1993
    Assignee: Viscodrive GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Amborn, Wolfgang Hildebrandt
  • Patent number: 5158508
    Abstract: An automatic transmission for a vehicle having a planetary gear mechanism, which is accommodated in an automatic transmission case, is provided with an accordion-like leaf spring disposed in a gap for allowing interior spaces of an automatic transmission case to communicate with each other, the gap being provided in the automatic transmission case between an outer peripheral surface of axially movable brake elements which are fixed against rotation on the one hand, and an inner peripheral surface of the automatic transmission case on the other. The accordion-like leaf spring is adapted to engage and bias a friction plate and has folded-back portions or pleats that lie generally parallel to the rotating shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1992
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Sakaguchi, Takahiro Yasuda, Yasushi Ando, Masanori Kadotani
  • Patent number: 5123300
    Abstract: A compact phasing transmission having an infinitely variable adjustment to the relative phases between the input shaft and output shaft of the transmission is disclosed. A harmonic drive pancake gear set is incorporated between the input shaft and output shaft of the transmission. A pancake motor is enclosed within the phase transmission and is coupled to the harmonic drive pancake gear set to provide input to the wave generator of the harmonic drive. The intermeshing of the pancake motor and harmonic drive between the input shaft and output shaft of the phasing transmission will cause the two shafts to rotate at the same speed. When the pancake motor is activated, the wave generator of the harmonic drive gear set will rotate thereby varying the phases between the input shaft and output shaft of the phasing transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: Dynamics Research & Development Corp.
    Inventors: Marvin K. Himmelein, James D. Haaser
  • Patent number: 5098359
    Abstract: Backlash free articulation reducing mechanism, usable notably for the setting of the various portions of an automobile vehicle seat, characterized in that each satellite has a central axis with a cylindrical (inner or outer) bearing surface intended for centering itself and reacting on a complementary cylindrical bearing surface (respectively outer or inner) provided on a star-shaped satellite-holder having due to its material and design, a sufficient resiliency for constantly applying the toothings of the satellites in the toothing of their respective flange, thereby allowing taking up clearances inherent to manufacture of this type of mechanism and allowing also absorbing without deterioration any overload able for example to appear during use of the reducing mechanism as an articulation of an automobile vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1992
    Assignee: Etablissments Cousin Freres
    Inventors: Bernard Chales, Jean-Marc Judic
  • Patent number: 5092190
    Abstract: A transmission device in which planetary gears are disposed on the periphery of a sun gear so that each planetary gear can effect gear transmission and can revolve around the sun gear, and in which an internal gear wheel is disposed so as to wrap round the planetary gears so that the planetary gears can effect gear transmission in association with the internal gear wheel. A sun roller coaxial with the sun gear and capable of freely rotating independently of the sun gear is provided, and planetary rollers are also provided with being respectively coaxial with the planetary gears, freely rotatable independently of the same and having a rolling contact with the sun roller. An outer ring is disposed around the planetary rollers and has a rolling contact with the planetary rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1992
    Assignee: Daishowa Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Haruaki Kubo, Yoshiyuki Kamanaka
  • Patent number: 5080642
    Abstract: A rotation transmission device with a torque limiting function comprises a cylindrical housing 10, a first rotation member 20 supported on a first bracket 12 via a one-way clutch bearing 14, a second rotation member 30 integral with the output shaft 33, an annular torsional resilient member 80, and an input shaft 40 rotatably supported on the rotation members 20 and 30. The torque is transmitted from the input shaft to the first rotation member via a torque limiting transmission mechanism which comprises: a first and a second internal gear 21 and 31, a first sun gear 41 supported on the input shaft 40 via a one-way clutch bearing 42, a second sun gear 43 fixed on the input shaft, first and second planetary gears 55 and 65, satellite rings 58 and 68 eccentric to the planetary gears 55, and a guide disk 70 having guide slots 72 slidably engaging with the satellite rings 58 and 68.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1992
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akira Takami
  • Patent number: 5018402
    Abstract: A drive mechanism for a paper machine controlled deflection roll or the like having a tubular roll shell driven by a ring gear with driving pinions driving the ring gear and each of the pinions mounted on support shafts with the support shafts carrying planetary gears driven by a sun gear. The sun gear is carried on a power input shaft mounted in vertical slides. The planetary gears are horizontal of the sun gear so that the sun gear can shift and be self-positionable to equalize the load on the gear teeth as the sun gear drives the planetary gears with a thrust bearing on the shaft and helical teeth between the sun gear and the planetary gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1991
    Assignee: Beloit Corporation
    Inventors: Arnold J. Roerig, Steven C. Shockley