Counterbalance gear for an engine
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorMohammad Ali Moetakef
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gear train for an engine is provided with a driving gear and a driven gear. The driving gear is formed by a laminate structure of a plurality of plastic sheets and a plurality of metal sheets, with the plastic and metal sheets alternating with one another. The driven gear is formed by another laminate structure of another plurality of plastic sheets and another plurality of metal sheets, with the plastic and metal sheets alternating with one another. The gear train may be provided for use with an engine crankshaft and an associated balance shaft. A method of forming the gear is also provided.
Claims13
An engine system comprising:
- a crankshaft gear coupled to an engine crankshaft for rotation therewith;
- and
- a balance gear coupled to a balance shaft for rotation therewith, the balance and crankshaft gears in meshed engagement, the balance gear is formed from a plurality of layers of a first material and a plurality of layers of a second material, the first and second material layers alternating with one another to form a laminate structure;
- wherein each layer of the plurality of first material layers comprises metal;
- wherein each layer of the plurality of second material layers comprises plastic;
- wherein two layers of the plurality of second material layers are provided as outermost layers for the balance gear;
- and
- wherein each layer of the plurality of first material layers and the plurality of second material layers has a common outer perimeter.
A gear train for an engine, the gear train comprising:
- a driving gear formed by a laminate structure of a plurality of plastic sheets and a plurality of metal sheets, the plastic and metal sheets alternating with one another;
- and
- a driven gear formed by another laminate structure of another plurality of plastic sheets and another plurality of metal sheets, the plastic and metal sheets alternating with one another;
- wherein the plurality of plastic sheets of the driving gear is provided by (n+1) sheets, and the plurality of metal sheets is provided by (n) sheets:
- wherein the another plurality of plastic sheets of the driven gear is provided by (n+1) sheets, and the another plurality of metal sheets is provided by (n) sheets;
- and
- wherein each sheet of the plurality of plastic sheets and the plurality of metal sheets of the driving gear share a common outer perimeter;
- and wherein each sheet of the another plurality of plastic sheets and the another plurality of metal sheets of the driven gear share a common outer perimeter.
A gear train for an engine, the gear train comprising:
- a driving gear formed by a laminate structure of a plurality of plastic sheets and a plurality of metal sheets, the plastic and metal sheets alternating with one another;
- and
- a driven gear formed by another laminate structure of another plurality of plastic sheets and another plurality of metal sheets, the plastic and metal sheets alternating with one another;
- wherein the plurality of plastic sheets of the driving gear is provided by (n) sheets, and the plurality of metal sheets is provided by (n) sheets;
- and
- wherein the another plurality of plastic sheets of the driven gear is provided by (n) sheets, and the another plurality of metal sheets is provided by (n) sheets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.