Compact planetary wheel drive
AssigneeFairfield Manufacturing Company, Inc.
InventorsScott Martin, Matthew Richards, Randolph Dozier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A compact planetary wheel drive uses a high speed input planet carrier partially residing with a stationary spindle, and, an input planet gear engaging an internal ring gear within the stationary spindle. Inclusion of the input planet gear within the stationary spindle enables use of an additional stage of the planetary wheel drive while keeping the planetary wheel compact. Two and three stage planetaries may be accommodated with use of the same internal output ring gear of the rotatable output housing.
Claims20
A planetary wheel drive, comprising:
- a stationary spindle and a rotatable output housing;
- said spindle includes an internal ring gear;
- said housing includes an internal ring gear;
- an input stage, an intermediate stage and an output stage;
- said input stage includes an input sun gear, an input planet gear, an input planet pin and an input planet carrier;
- said input sun gear and said input planet gear reside within said spindle;
- said input planet gear in meshing engagement with said internal ring gear of said stationary spindle;
- said input planet carrier mounted on said input planet pin;
- said input planet carrier being cantilevered and extends axially outside of said stationary spindle;
- said input planet carrier drives said intermediate stage;
- said intermediate stage drives said output stage;
- and,
- said output stage includes an output carrier and said output carrier is fixed to said stationary spindle.
A planetary wheel drive, comprising:
- a cylindrically shaped stationary spindle;
- a cylindrically shaped rotatable housing;
- a bearing interposed between said cylindrically shaped stationary spindle and said cylindrically shaped rotatable housing;
- an input stage, an intermediate stage and an output stage;
- said input stage includes an input sun gear, an input planet gear, an input planet carrier, and an input planet pin pressed into said input planet carrier;
- said input planet carrier includes a first portion residing within said cylindrically shaped stationary spindle;
- said input planet carrier includes a second, elongated portion residing outside said cylindrically shaped stationary spindle;
- said elongated portion of said input planet carrier drives said intermediate stage;
- and,
- said intermediate stage drives said output stage.
A planetary wheel drive, comprising:
- a stationary spindle and a rotatable output housing;
- said spindle includes an internal ring gear;
- an input stage, and at least one other stage driven by said input stage;
- said input stage includes an input sun gear, an input planet gear, an input planet pin and an input planet carrier;
- said input sun gear, said input planet gear and said input planet pin reside within said spindle;
- said input planet gear in meshing engagement with said internal ring gear of said stationary spindle;
- said input planet carrier mounted on said input planet pin;
- said input planet carrier being cantilevered and extends axially outside of said stationary spindle;
- a portion of said input planet carrier resides within said stationary spindle;
- and,
- said at least one other stage includes an output carrier and said output carrier is fixed to said stationary spindle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.