Planet Pinion Supported By Roller Bearings Patents (Class 475/348)
  • Patent number: 8272990
    Abstract: The invention relates to a revolving gear mechanism with at least two gear wheels which mesh mutually, forming an engagement space, of which one is a revolving gear wheel which is mounted rotatably by means of a bearing on a bolt, and a lateral surface of the bolt forms a bearing surface. According to the invention, at least one axial longitudinal groove is arranged on the lateral surface of the bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: IMS Gear GmbH
    Inventors: Heinz Gert Hagedorn, Erkan Poyraz, Thomas Riester
  • Patent number: 8262535
    Abstract: A planetary gear train is described which includes a sun gear, three or more planet gears, an annulus as well as a planet gear carrier, whereby the input is provided via the sun gear and the output is provided via the annulus or via the planet gear carrier, whereby each planet gear is mounted on both sides in a roller bearing, and whereby the planet gear carrier includes two axially spaced bearing washers as well as at least three webs that connect the bearing washers. Each roller bearing is configured as a single-row or multi-row cylindrical roller bearing, each planet gear has a flexurally elastic axis projecting axially on both sides beyond the gear body of the planet gear, and the connection between each roller bearing and the appertaining axis is configured to be spherically moveable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventor: Hermann Klingels
  • Patent number: 8251862
    Abstract: A shaft retainer for a planet gear carrier of a planetary gear assembly both retains the pinion shafts within the carrier and maintains their angular orientation to achieve improved oil flow to the pinion bearings. Each of the pinion shafts includes an opening and an axial passageway that communicates with a radial passageway at the middle of the shaft. At the end of the pinion shaft opposite the axial passageway opening is a flat extending across the shaft. The flat is normal to the axis of the radial passageway. The pinion shafts are slip fit into suitable bores in the planetary gear carrier and support a needle bearing and planet or pinion gear. At one end of the carrier, the flats are engaged by a circular retainer so that the radial passageways of each of the pinion shafts are oriented radially outwardly. The circular retainer may either be a flat circular plate or have an L-shaped cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Boris Burgman, John A. Diemer
  • Patent number: 8246505
    Abstract: A planetary type gear unit comprising a planet carrier with a planet bogie plate and at least one planet shaft, whereby on both sides of the bogie plate a planet wheel is mounted on the planet shaft by taper roller bearings, whereby the planet shaft is provided with an axially displaceable piece on each of its extremities forming an abutment which provides an axial support for the inner bearing rings of the taper roller bearings and with a tensioning elements by which the axially displaceable pieces can be displaced to one another for controlling the pre-tensioning on the taper roller bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignees: ZF Wind Power Antwerpen N.V., Gamesa Innovation & Technology, S.L.
    Inventors: Patrik Saenz De Ugarte, Javier Baranano Etxebarria, Gregory Warren Smook, Rik Verbiest, Wim Derkinderen
  • Publication number: 20120208669
    Abstract: The present invention provides a gear box for a wind turbine generator which can reduce damage by flaking even when a self-aligning roller bearing is adopted as a planet bearing and a wind turbine generator. The gear box 14 comprises a casing 40; a carrier 52; a plurality of planet pins 54 supported to the carrier 52; self-aligning roller bearings 56 held on the planet pins 54, respectively; the planet gears 58 supported to the planet pins 54 via the self-aligning roller bearing 56, respectively; and a ring gear 60 and a sun gear 62 meshed with the planet gears 58. The planet gears 58 are fixed to the outer race 56B of the self-aligning bearing 56 with an interference fit, respectively, so that each end surface of the outer race 56B of the self-aligning bearing 56 is positioned inner side to an end surface of each planet gears 58.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Keita Nakashima, Kaoru Iwasaki, Takafumi Yoshida, Hiroaki Takeuchi, Katsuhiko Shoda
  • Patent number: 8241172
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement and a corresponding planetary gear for increasing the rotation speed including a sun wheel (12), a gear rim (10), a planet gear (14), a power input shaft (46), and a planet carrier. A construction (40) allowing flexing is placed between the support length (f) of the first fastening end (62) of the shaft (20) of the planet wheel (18) and the closest bearing for dynamically adapting the mesh geometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Moventas Oy
    Inventors: Petri Lahtinen, Ari Ryymin
  • Patent number: 8206259
    Abstract: A rotary actuator comprises a rotatable output ring with a generally denticulate inner surface region and an output ring axis of rotation; a pair of stationary rings, each with a generally denticulate inner surface region and a stationary ring axis, each located on a different end of the output ring with the stationary ring axes in general alignment with the output ring axis; a generally cylindrical planet comprising distal outer regions that each have outer surfaces for supporting the planet, a generally denticulate central outer surface region that engages the denticulate inner surface region of the output ring, and generally denticulate intermediate outer surface regions that each engage the denticulate inner surface region of a respective one of the stationary rings, and a planet axis of rotation that is generally parallel to the output ring axis; and a pair of generally cylindrical planet carriers, each having a carrier axis of rotation in general alignment with the output ring axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: David J. Lang
  • Patent number: 8172718
    Abstract: A planetary gear unit (1) having two guide discs (2, 3) that are arranged parallel to one another and include perforations for accommodating pins (4) which have journals (5, 6) and shoulders arranged on the end sides. The shoulders have circumferential cutting edges (11, 12) and the pins (4) are cut into the guide discs (2, 3) by way of the cutting edges (2, 3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Tobias Büchner, Peter Höhne
  • Patent number: 8128525
    Abstract: A first planet stage of an epicyclic gearbox revolves in a gearbox housing and includes a planet support having two interconnected side pieces. Planet gears are borne in the planet support via planet gear bearings and engage a central sun gear shaft and a hollow gear secured to the gearbox housing. A first channel has one end connected to an oil supply in communication with an oil feed pump and passes through a gearbox housing wall, and another end connected via second channels, passing through one side piece of the planet support, to third and fourth channels, passing through the shafts of the planet gears and open to the planet gear bearings. The first channel passes through an insertion apparatus secured in the gearbox housing and.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Winergy AG
    Inventors: Ralf Martin Dinter, Manfred Möllers, Herbert Scheibe
  • Publication number: 20110306462
    Abstract: An outboard thrust bearing assembly includes: a drawbolt, an inner end cap, an outer end cap, and at least one race of thrust bearings; the drawbolt for clamping the inner end cap to the outer end cap and about a pinion gear of a planetary gear, wherein the at least one race of outboard thrust bearings is retained in place by the outer end cap, the pinion gear, a planetary gear carrier and a hub cap. A wheel motor and a vehicle are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Inventor: Frederick W. Loeber
  • Patent number: 8075443
    Abstract: The present epicyclic gear includes a carrier (12), a generally central sun gear (11), an outer annular gear (13) and an intermediary helical planet gear (14) which is mounted on the carrier (12) by a flexible pin assembly (15). The gear further includes a reaction member in the form of a rolling ring (22) at each axial end of the helical planet gear (14) to provide a respective radially inward reaction load onto the planet gear (14) in a sense that the reaction members (22) together resist a twisting moment on the planet gear (14) arising from the tooth loads on that gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Orbital2 Limited
    Inventors: Frank Cunliffe, Raymond John Hicks
  • Patent number: 8038570
    Abstract: An outboard thrust bearing assembly includes: a drawbolt, an inner end cap, an outer end cap, and at least one race of thrust bearings; the drawbolt for clamping the inner end cap to the outer end cap and about a pinion gear of a planetary gear, wherein the at least one race of outboard thrust bearings is retained in place by the outer end cap, the pinion gear, a planetary gear carrier and a hub cap. A wheel motor and a vehicle are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Bucyrus Mining Equipment, Inc.
    Inventor: Frederick W. Loeber
  • Publication number: 20110212808
    Abstract: A rolling bearing arrangement which has rolling elements and at least one cage guiding the rolling elements. The cage has at least one contact zone for sliding contact with a further contact zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Inventor: Alexander PABST
  • Publication number: 20110206498
    Abstract: An epicyclic gear train includes planetary gears rotatably mounted on spindles supported by an annular carrier and including axially spaced apart forward and aft sets of output teeth extending radially outwardly from a planetary gear hub and axially spaced apart forward and aft roller bearings disposed between planetary gears and spindles. The forward and aft roller bearings are axially aligned with or adjacent to spaced apart forward set of output teeth and input gear respectively. A ring gear meshes with forward set of output teeth and an external gear meshes with aft set of output teeth. An input gear fixedly attached to hub aft of aft set of output teeth and engaged with a sun gear. The output teeth, input gear, ring gear, external gear, and sun gear may all be helical. A turbofan gas turbine engine may include counter-rotatable first and second fan stages driven by a low pressure turbine through the gear train.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2010
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Inventor: Francis William McCooey
  • Publication number: 20110140448
    Abstract: A wind-turbine-generator-system transmission and a wind turbine generator that can ensure the strength of a bearing and can also minimize seizing and abrasion are provided. In a wind-turbine-generator-system transmission having a sun gear, a planetary gear that meshes with the sun gear and rotates around the sun gear, and an inner tooth that meshes with the planetary gear, the transmission includes a carrier that rotates the planetary gear around the sun gear; a planetary pin that is disposed in the carrier and transmits rotation of the carrier to the planetary gear; a cylindrical sleeve disposed around a periphery of the planetary pin; and a slide bearing that is disposed between the sleeve and the planetary gear and supports the planetary gear in a rotatable manner about the planetary pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki TAKEUCHI, Hideaki NISHIDA, Katsuhiko SHODA, Atsushi YUGE
  • Publication number: 20110130243
    Abstract: A planetary gear unit includes a planet carrier having a backplate and being provided with planet shafts distributed uniformly around the planet carrier's axis and extending through bores in the backplate, each planet shaft rotatably supporting a pair of planet gears by planet bearings, the planet gears being mounted between a ring gear and a sun gear for mutual interaction. The planetary gear unit further includes a key provided in a keyway of the planet shaft and extending to the backplate for preventing the at least one planet shaft from rotating around its own axis. The key and keyway are provided at a location positioned between 45° and 270° in a clockwise direction around the circumference of the planet shaft, with 0° being defined as a point at the planet shaft circumference corresponding with the largest distance from the centre of the bogie plate seen from the rotor side onwards.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: HANSEN TRANSMISSIONS INTERNATIONAL, naamloze vennootschap
    Inventor: Warren SMOOK
  • Publication number: 20110118076
    Abstract: A rotary actuator comprises a rotatable output ring with a generally denticulate inner surface region and an output ring axis of rotation; a pair of stationary rings, each with a generally denticulate inner surface region and a stationary ring axis, each located on a different end of the output ring with the stationary ring axes in general alignment with the output ring axis; a generally cylindrical planet comprising distal outer regions that each have outer surfaces for supporting the planet, a generally denticulate central outer surface region that engages the denticulate inner surface region of the output ring, and generally denticulate intermediate outer surface regions that each engage the denticulate inner surface region of a respective one of the stationary rings, and a planet axis of rotation that is generally parallel to the output ring axis; and a pair of generally cylindrical planet carriers, each having a carrier axis of rotation in general alignment with the output ring axis, each carrier support
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: David J. Lang
  • Publication number: 20110077120
    Abstract: A planetary gear unit (20) for a gearbox (40) for a wind turbine includes a housing (21) and a planet carrier (22) provided with planet shafts (23) distributed uniformly around a planet carrier's axis for rotatably supporting planet gears (24) which are mounted between a sun gear (26) and a ring gear (27) for mutual interaction and which are supported by rolling bearings (25). The planet carrier is rotatably mounted in the housing with sliding bearings (28). By using sliding bearings which are different from existing classical sliding bearings which are currently used for rotatably mounting the planet carrier in the housing in combination with the use of rolling bearings for supporting other parts of the planetary gear unit, costs of the planetary gear unit may significantly be reduced. A gearbox including such a planetary gear unit and a wind turbine including such a gearbox are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: HANSEN TRANSMISSIONS INTERNATIONAL, naamloze vennootschap.
    Inventor: Leimann Dirk
  • Publication number: 20110021309
    Abstract: A bearing arrangement for rotatable mounting of a planet gear on a planet carrier, which has two tapered roller bearings arranged with an axial spacing to one another. In order to increase the load capacity of the bearing arrangement, at least one radial bearing is arranged in the space remaining between the tapered roller bearings. The radial bearing can be embodied as a cylindrical roller bearing, a needle bearing, a ball bearing or as a plain bearing. In order to distribute the load capacity of the bearing arrangement uniformly, the radial bearing, which is arranged between the tapered roller bearings, is adjustable with regard to the bearing play or a bearing preload.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: SCHAEFFLER KG
    Inventor: Tim Loeshner
  • Patent number: 7806799
    Abstract: A planetary type gear transmission unit (11) suitable for a wind turbine (10) includes sun (27), planet (25) and ring (24) gears and a planet carrier (41), the planet carrier (28) including a planet bogie plate (43) which supports and locates circumferentially spaced pairs of planet gears (25) a planetary type gear transmission unit (11) includes sun (27), planet (25) and ring gears (24) and a planet carrier(28), the planet carrier (28) including a planet bogie plate (43) which supports and locates circumferentially spaced pairs of planet gears (25), the sun (27) and ring gears (24) being each of the double helical type and each of the planet gears (47) of a pair being of the single helical type and of a helix angle opposite to that of the other planet gear (48) of the pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Hansen Transmissions International N.V.
    Inventors: Warren Smook, Roger Bogaert
  • Publication number: 20100236848
    Abstract: An outboard thrust bearing assembly includes: a drawbolt, an inner end cap, an outer end cap, and at least one race of thrust bearings; the drawbolt for clamping the inner end cap to the outer end cap and about a pinion gear of a planetary gear, wherein the at least one race of outboard thrust bearings is retained in place by the outer end cap, the pinion gear, a planetary gear carrier and a hub cap. A wheel motor and a vehicle are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: TEREX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Frederick W. Loeber
  • Publication number: 20100180708
    Abstract: A manipulator, in particular a small robot, has at least two motor mutually movable limbs with a motion axis of both limbs being acted on by an axle drive that has an external rotor motor, a position transmitter and a transmission. The transmission has at least one planetary gear set with a center gear and at least one planet meshing with it that also meshes with a ring gear and is mounted on a planet carrier. One of both limbs of the manipulators is torque proof connected with the ring gear and is mounted by this radial and/or axially, and the other is torque proof connected by both limbs of the manipulator with the planet carrier and is mounted by this radial and/or axially.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Inventors: Daniel Kos, Andreas Weingaertner, Gernot Nitz
  • Publication number: 20100151986
    Abstract: A shaft retainer for a planet gear carrier of a planetary gear assembly both retains the pinion shafts within the carrier and maintains their angular orientation to achieve improved oil flow to the pinion bearings. Each of the pinion shafts includes an opening and an axial passageway that communicates with a radial passageway at the middle of the shaft. At the end of the pinion shaft opposite the axial passageway opening is a flat extending across the shaft. The flat is normal to the axis of the radial passageway. The pinion shafts are slip fit into suitable bores in the planetary gear carrier and support a needle bearing and planet or pinion gear. At one end of the carrier, the flats are engaged by a circular retainer so that the radial passageways of each of the pinion shafts are oriented radially outwardly. The circular retainer may either be a flat circular plate or have an L-shaped cross-section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2010
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Boris Burgman, John A. Diemer
  • Publication number: 20100120576
    Abstract: The present invention provides a planetary gear device that can prevent wear and seizing of a pinion gear and a carrier, has few components, and of which assembly is not complicated. In the planetary gear device of the invention, a pinion gear 14 is supported such as to rotate freely by an outer circumferential surface of a pinion shaft 13 with a needle roller 15 interposed therebetween. The pinion shaft 13 is fixed between a pair of carriers 11 and 11. A hard coating including a diamond-like carbon is formed on surfaces of the carriers 11 and 11 facing both end surfaces of the pinion gear 14 and the needle roller 15. Wear and seizing can be prevented as a result of the hard coating even when the end surfaces of the pinion gear 14 and the needle roller 15 come into sliding contact with the surfaces of the carriers 11 and 11 during operation of the planetary gear device. Because the number of washers 16 can be reduced, the number of components can be reduced and complicated assembly can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventors: Masanori Satou, Takanori Terada
  • Patent number: 7703984
    Abstract: A rolling bearing comprises a roller, a roller shaft provided inwardly of the roller, and rolling elements provided between the roller and the roller shaft, the roller shaft having a nitrogen-rich layer and is configured such that its race surface, on which the rolling elements run, has not smaller than 11 in the JIS austenite grain size number and not smaller than HV653 in the Vickers hardness number, at both ends not greater than HV300, and at its core beneath a widthwise midpoint of the race surface not smaller than HV550.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Watanabe, Naoki Shibamoto, Akihiko Katayama
  • Publication number: 20100062888
    Abstract: Various power transmission and generation systems and assemblies are provided for a wind turbine. In one embodiment, a power generation system is provided including a transmission having an input axially aligned with an output, the input configured to receive rotary motion generated by a wind driven rotor head, the input located downwind of the output, an electromagnetic apparatus having an input configured to be coupled to the transmission output, and a bearing configured to radially support both the transmission output and the electromagnetic apparatus input. In this way, a common bearing may support both the transmission and electromagnetic apparatus, allowing for a more compact and efficient design while retaining service and repair capabilities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Robert Ciszak, Timothy Kuzma
  • Publication number: 20090215583
    Abstract: A rotation-support apparatus having construction in which large force is not applied to continuous sections between column sections 12a and rim sections 11 even when needles 6 push in the circumferential direction against the side surfaces in the circumferential direction of the column sections 12a, thus making it possible to improve the durability of a retainer 7a. Of both side surfaces in the circumferential direction of a straight section 15a on the inner-radial side in the middle section in the axial direction of the column sections 12a, the portion near the outer-radial side of the retainer 7a is more recessed than the portion near the inner-radial side of the retainer 7a. Moreover, this portion near the inner-radial side is located within the pitch circle P of the needles 6. Furthermore, there is no contact between the rolling surfaces of the needles 6 and the straight section 15a on the inner-radial side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Seigou Urakami, Yoichi Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20090215568
    Abstract: A travel assembly, for example, suited for arrangement on a vehicle such as a mining dump truck, is provided with a travel motor, a planetary speed reduction mechanism for transmitting rotation of the travel motor at a lower rotational speed, a spindle forming an axle, and a wheel supported on the spindle via a tapered roller bearing and rotatable by the planetary speed reduction mechanism. The planetary speed reduction mechanism includes a sun gear rotatable by rotation of a shaft of the travel motor, planet gears for rotating the wheel in response to rotation of the sun gear, stepped pins forming rotary shafts for the planet gears, a carrier for holding the stepped pins thereon, and bolts for fixedly securing the stepped pins on the carrier. The travel assembly is provided with a spline connection connecting the spindle and the carrier with each other and a limiting member for limiting movements of the bolts in a direction toward the tapered roller bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takeshi SHIBUKAWA
  • Publication number: 20090203491
    Abstract: In an outboard motor, a speed reduction mechanism includes an inner gear connected with an input shaft (i.e., second output shaft), a planetary gear that meshes with the inner gear and that rolls inside the inner gear, and a sun gear that meshes with the planetary gear and that is not rotatable. A shaft portion of a carrier that supports the planetary gear, and a shaft core portion of the sun gear, preferably have a cylindrical or substantially cylindrical shape. The shaft portion of the carrier is inserted and arranged to overlap with the shaft core portion of the sun gear in a direction perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the shaft. The output shaft (i.e., drive shaft) is inserted and coupled to the shaft portion of the carrier. Accordingly, this provides an outboard motor that makes it possible to prevent the size of a speed change device from increasing in size when a speed reduction mechanism is added.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihiko OKABE, Hirotoshi YAMAUCHI
  • Publication number: 20090163316
    Abstract: A planetary type gear unit comprising a planet carrier with a planet bogie plate and at least one planet shaft, whereby on both sides of the bogie plate a planet wheel is mounted on the planet shaft by taper roller bearings, whereby the planet shaft is provided with an axially displaceable piece on each of its extremities forming an abutment which provides an axial support for the inner bearing rings of the taper roller bearings and with a tensioning elements by which the axially displaceable pieces can be displaced to one another for controlling the pre-tensioning on the taper roller bearings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicants: HANSEN TRANSMISSIONS INTERNATIONAL, NAAMLOZE VENNOOTSCHAP, GAMESA INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY, S.L.
    Inventors: Patrik SAENZ DE UGARTE, Javier BARANANO ETXEBARRIA, Rik VERBIEST, Warren Gregory SMOOK, Wim DERKINDEREN
  • Publication number: 20090149293
    Abstract: Wind turbine drive which is formed of a rotor with a rotor shaft and of a transmission box with a planetary gear unit which is connected to the rotor shaft, which drive is of the type whereby the transmission box is supported by the far end of the rotor shaft and is provided with a reaction arm, whereby the rotor shaft is bearing-mounted with at least one bearing which is directly fixed to the nacelle and a second bearing which is either fixed to the nacelle or which is part of the transmission box, whereby the planet carrier of the planetary gear unit is bearing-mounted in the gearbox via one bearing at the most.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: HANSEN TRANSMISSIONS INTERNATIONAL, NAAMLOZE VENNOOTSCHAP
    Inventors: Annaik Van Bogaert, Rik Verbiest, Warren Smook
  • Publication number: 20090058094
    Abstract: A drive train for a wind turbine is provided. The wind turbine comprises a low speed shaft connected to blades of the wind turbine and a higher speed shaft connected to a generator. The drive train also includes a bearing that substantially supports the weight of at least the low speed shaft. A compound planetary gear stage is connected to the low speed shaft and the higher speed shaft, and includes a rotating carrier, a non-rotating ring gear, a plurality of planetary gears, and a rotating sun gear. The sun gear is connected to the higher speed shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: Patrick L. Jansen, Ralph James Carl, JR., Robert J. Ciszak, Fulton J. Lopez, Aniruddha D. Gadre
  • Patent number: 7448980
    Abstract: A planetary gear assembly includes a carrier, a planet shaft, a planet gear, and a plurality of rollers. The planet shaft is coupled to the carrier. The planet gear is rotatable about the planet shaft and the plurality of rollers are between the planet gear and the planet shaft to facilitate rotation of the planet gear about the planet shaft. The planetary gear assembly further includes a sleeve that surrounds the planet shaft such that the plurality of rollers roll on the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Timken US Corporation
    Inventors: Ronald J. Abarquez, Richard F. Murphy
  • Patent number: 7399253
    Abstract: A washer and a planetary gear set having the same, wherein the washer includes a first washer member and a second washer member. The first washer member is formed at a surface thereof with a plurality of first stepped portions each having a radially extending concave structure. The second washer member has a plurality of second stepped portions each having a radially extending convex structure facing the first washer member. As the second stepped portions are inserted into the first stepped portions, respectively, a plurality of oil flow holes are defined between the first stepped portions and the second stepped portions, thereby allowing lubricating oil to pass through the washer in a radial direction. With this configuration, the washer ensures the smooth supply of lubricating oil regardless of the rotating direction of a pinion gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Jim Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 7387588
    Abstract: Disclosed is a planetary gear train (8) comprising an internal gear (24), a sun gear (52), a planet carrier (10) which is provided with planet shafts (18) and on which at least one planetary gear (20) is mounted, and a shifting device with a sliding sleeve (66). Said shifting device allows for a direct connection between a shaft (44) driving the planetary gear train (8) and an output shaft (12) of the planetary gear train (8) in one shifting position while making it possible to modify the rotational speed between the driving shaft (44) and the output shaft (12) of the planetary gear train (8) in another shifting position. The planet shaft (18) is disposed inside the planet carrier (10) so as to be rotatable within a bearing (22, 80).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventor: Josef Bader
  • Patent number: 7361119
    Abstract: A radial inner end of a retainer is spaced radially outwardly from a radial outer end of a sliding-contact region, and with this construction the axial movement of each needle roller is limited not by the retainer but by an inner ring, and a restriction flange. Therefore, a large axial force developing in the needle rollers is received by the inner ring and the restriction flange, and as a result, the retainer having low rigidity can be satisfactorily used. Therefore, any suitable material such as a synthetic resin can be selected for the retainer, and besides the wall thickness of the retainer can be made small.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: TS Corporation
    Inventors: Minoru Tanaka, Masakazu Kurita, Koji Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7329203
    Abstract: A planet carrier (2) for a gearbox, especially an automatic or power shift gearbox, is provided, including at least one planet gear (4) which is connected to a sun gear and a rotor wheel. The planet carrier is embodied in two parts and is made in two bodies (11, 12) which are formed with a step-like shape and which are arranged one within the other. The internal diameter of the axially extending segments of the external body (11) is adapted to the external diameters of the internal body (12). The bodies are positioned in a precise manner in relation to each other during construction. The individual components can be produced in a simple manner by shaping the sheet steel in a non-cutting manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Norbert Radinger, Matthias Fick
  • Patent number: 7297086
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: The Timken Company
    Inventor: Gerald P. Fox
  • Patent number: 7294090
    Abstract: A planetary gear device includes a housing having a chamber for receiving lubricating member and having an internal gear, a carrier rotatably received in the chamber of the housing and having an output shaft and having a number of openings for rotatably receiving planet pinions. The planet pinions are engaged with the internal gear of the housing, and each includes a bore for receiving an axle, and a number of rollers received between the planet pinion and the axle to act as a bearing device for smoothly attaching the planet pinions on the axles. The planet pinions each has one or two side portions each having one or more slots for filling the lubricating member into the bore of the planet pinion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Apex Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventor: Robin C. S. Chang
  • Patent number: 7276012
    Abstract: There is adopted a constitution of arranging a spacer 53 at a shaft center portion and arranging a retainer 52 and a roller 51 (cage & roller) at two sides thereof in order to prevent the roller (roller) from being rolled at the center portion in an axial direction of the shaft maximizing an amount of bending the shaft. At the double side rows, the bending of the shaft is not as large as that of the center portion and therefore, the roller (roller) is not hampered from being rolled smoothly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichi Matsumoto, Koichi Yamamoto, Seigou Urakami, Aya Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 7189183
    Abstract: Stop disks (9, 12) that on both sides delimit planet wheels (6) and that are provided on at least two evenly spaced-apart peripheral positions with inner axial passages (9.2, 12.2) that are linked with their respective location bores (9.1, 12.2) via respective constrictions (9.2.1, 12.2.1) and between the inner axial passages (9.2, 12.2), outer axial passages 99.3, 12.3) are disposed off-set outward in the radial direction, and the inner axial passages (9.2, 12.2), when looked at in the radial direction, are disposed in the area of the rolling bodies (11.1) and the outer axial passages (0.3, 12.3) cover at least a part of the front of the planet wheels (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: INA Schaeffler KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Fugel, Alexander Reimchen
  • Patent number: 7182709
    Abstract: A series of gear motors, a gear motor, and a planetary-gear stage includes planet wheels that mesh with a sun wheel and inner gear teeth provided for the gear housing. The planet wheels are supported in a rotatable planet carrier, which forms the power take-off, and to which a sealing element is assigned on the output side. The planetary-gear stage is assigned a further sealing element on the input side. The gear housing is shaped on the input side such that an interface is formed for connection to further components, which include at least one shaft connected to the sun wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Sew-Eurodrive GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Christ, Heinrich Zimmermann, Jürgen Kasper
  • Patent number: 7056259
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: The Timken Company
    Inventor: Gerald Fox
  • Patent number: 7008348
    Abstract: A wind turbine gear box having a compound planetary gear arrangement having bearings providing improved reliability and with greater accessibility for servicing. The gear box has planet pinions and planet gears being rotated by a planet carrier around a sun gear which drives a final reduction stage, the final reduction stage and the adjacent end of the planet carrier being removable from the gear box housing to allow easy removal of the planet pinions and their associated bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Octave LaBath
  • Patent number: 6994651
    Abstract: An epicyclic gear system has a sun gear, a ring gear, and planet gears between the sun and ring gears. In addition, it has a carrier including a carrier flange offset axially from the planet gears and carrier pins that project from the flange into the planet gears, each with a shank anchored to the flange, a head remote from the flange, and a groove between the shank and head. Between the planet gears and the carrier pins are bearings, each including an inner race and rollers between the inner race and planet gear. Whereas the carrier pins are cantilevered from the carrier flange, the inner races are cantilevered from the heads of the carrier pins. The grooves in the pins enhance pin deflection, so that the axes about which the planet gears rotate remain parallel to the central axis of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: The Timken Company
    Inventors: Gerald P. Fox, Eric Jallat
  • Patent number: 6981930
    Abstract: An integrated electric motor and traction drive is disclosed. The device comprises an electric motor and a traction drive. The electric motor provides power at a high angular velocity to a sun roller. The sun roller transfers the power to the traction drive which reduces the power to a lower angular velocity and delivers it via an output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: The Timken Company
    Inventors: Xiaolan Ai, Geoffrey Bishop
  • Patent number: 6918853
    Abstract: A planetary gear includes a sun gear, a ring gear, a plurality of pinion gears geared with the sun gear and the ring gear, a plurality of pinion pins provided at internal peripheral side and coaxial to the pinion gear to be rotatable relative to the pinion gear, a carrier having penetration bores inserted with axial end portions of the pinion pin for supporting the pinion pins so that the pinion gears rotate about the sun gear, a plate member provided on the carrier, a slit formed on an axial end portion of the pinion pin projected from one of the penetration bores, a fitting portion unitary formed on the plate member to be fitted into the slit, a recess portion of the carrier recessed in an axial direction, and a projecting portion unitary formed on the plate member to be engaged with the recess portion of the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoya Tanikawa
  • Patent number: 6893372
    Abstract: In order to improve a seizure resistance as well as restricting of a dispersion of a rotation torque, surface roughness of a large diameter side end face (4A) of a tapered roller (4) is defined as a value satisfying both the following conditional expressions (1) and (2). 0.04 ?m?Ra(r)?0.1 ?m??(1) 0.8?Ra(r)/Ra(c)?1.1??(2) where, Ra(r) is an arithmetic average of roughness in a radial direction on the large diameter side end face of the tapered roller, and Ra(c) is an arithmetic average of roughness in a peripheral direction on the large diameter side end face of the tapered roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Matsuyama, Akiyuki Suzuki, Yasunari Abo
  • Patent number: 6872049
    Abstract: A wind turbine with a rotor, a nacelle and a tower. The nacelle comprises a planetary gear (4) with a planetary holder (5), on which the hub (6) of the rotor is rigidly secured, and which can be connected to the shaft of an electric generator. The planetary gear (4) comprises a ring gear (7) fixedly mounted on an engine frame (9) in the nacelle or on the member (8) rigidly connected to said frame. The planetary wheels (17a, 17b) of the planetary gear can run around a centrally arranged sun wheel (14) while engaging the latter. The sun wheel is optionally connected to a parallel gear (30). The planetary holder (5) is rotatably mounted in the ring gear (7) by means of at least two sets (17) of planetary twin wheels (17a, 17b). Each set of planetary twin wheels is mounted on a bogie shaft (19) on the planetary holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventor: Mogens Christensen
  • Patent number: 6857785
    Abstract: To provide a caged roller assembly having an excellent assimilability, capable of providing a relatively large load bearing capacity, excellent in roller guiding function, strength and accuracy, the caged roller assembly includes a cage 1 including an outer member 3 and an inner member 4, and an array of rollers 2. The outer member 3 is made up of an annular body 3a of a diameter greater than the pitch circle diameter PAD of the array of the rollers and collars 3b each formed by bending a corresponding end of the annular body 3a so as to extend radially inwardly therefrom. The inner member 4 is of an annular shape having a diameter smaller than the pitch circle diameter PAD. Pockets 5 and 6 are defined in the outer and inner members 3 and 4 with the rollers 2 supported in part within the pockets 5 in the outer member 3 and in part within the pocket 6 in the inner member 4. The collars 3b may alternatively be provided in the inner member 4, rather than the outer member 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuaki Takahashi, Katsufumi Abe