# US 10,371,243 B2 · Composite and metal hybrid gear

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- Number: US 10,371,243 B2
- Document ID: US10371243B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/735,577
- Filed: 2015-06-10
- Published: 2016-12-15
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-06-10
- Assignees: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
- Applicants: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
- Inventors: Brian Modrzejewski; Doug Mueller; Brad Ekstrom; Robert P. Wardlaw
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371243B2

## CPC

- F16H 55/06: Use of materials; Use of treatments of toothed members or worms to affect their intrinsic material properties
- B64C 27/12: Rotor drives
- F16B 11/006: {by gluing (gluing of plastics material B29C65/48)}
- F16H 55/12: with body or rim assembled out of detachable parts
- F16H 2055/065: {Moulded gears, e.g. inserts therefor}
- F16H: GEARING
- B64C: AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- F16B: DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING (couplings for transmitting rotation F16D)

## Abstract

According to one embodiment, a gear includes a steel portion that is oriented on a center axis. The steel portion includes a hub, a cylindrical rim, a web, and a plurality of engagement features. The hub is centered about the center axis. The rim has an exterior surface and an interior surface that surrounds the hub and is centered about the center axis. The web extends from an exterior surface of the hub to the interior surface of the rim. The engagement features are on the exterior surface of the cylindrical rim. The gear also includes a first composite piece adjacent to a first side of the web, the first composite piece extending from the hub to the interior surface of the rim, wherein the first composite piece does not extend past the hub towards the center axis.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A gear, comprising:
steel portion oriented on a center axis, the steel portion comprising:
a hub centered about the center axis;
a cylindrical rim having an exterior surface and an interior surface that surrounds the hub and is centered about the center axis;
a steel web extending from an exterior surface of the hub to the interior surface of the cylindrical rim; and
a plurality of engagement features on the exterior surface of the cylindrical rim; and
a first composite piece adjacent to a first side of the steel web, the first composite piece extending from the hub to the interior surface of the cylindrical rim, wherein the first composite piece does not extend past the hub towards the center axis;
wherein the first composite piece is angularly symmetrical about the center axis so that the first composite piece can be assembled axially and radially between the cylindrical rim and the hub without regard to an angular orientation of the first composite piece relative to either of the cylindrical rim and the hub.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The gear of claim 1, further comprising a second composite piece adjacent to a second side of the steel web, the second composite piece extending from the hub to the interior surface of the cylindrical rim, wherein the second composite piece does not extend past the hub towards the center axis.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The gear of claim 2, wherein the gear is symmetrical on both the center axis and an axis perpendicular to the center axis.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The gear of claim 1, wherein the gear further comprises an adhesive film located between the first composite piece and the steel web.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The gear of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of fasteners that pass through the first composite piece and the steel web, the fasteners coupling the first composite piece to the steel web.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The gear of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of belleville washers, each belleville washer associated with a fastener.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The gear of claim 1, wherein the first composite piece is comprised of carbon fibers that are pre-impregnated with an epoxy.