# US 10,865,869 B2 · Worm drive

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- Number: US 10,865,869 B2
- Document ID: US10865869B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/727,641
- Filed: 2017-10-09
- Published: 2018-04-26
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2016-10-25
- Assignees: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
- Applicants: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche Aktiengesellschaft
- Inventors: Joachim Paul; Johannes Toepfl
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865869B2

## CPC

- F16H 55/24: Special devices for taking up backlash
- F16C 27/02: Sliding-contact bearings
- F16C 27/08: primarily for axial load, e.g. for vertically-arranged shafts
- F16H 1/16: comprising worm and worm-wheel
- F16H 1/166: {with members rotating around axes on the worm or worm-wheel}
- F16C 2361/61: Toothed gear systems, e.g. support of pinion shafts
- F16C 2380/27: Motor coupled with a gear, e.g. worm gears
- F16H 2057/0213: {Support of worm gear shafts}
- F16H: GEARING
- F16C: SHAFTS; FLEXIBLE SHAFTS; ELEMENTS OR CRANKSHAFT MECHANISMS; ROTARY BODIES OTHER THAN GEARING ELEMENTS; BEARINGS

## Abstract

A worm drive includes a rotatably mounted worm shaft, and a device for compensating an unwanted axial backlash of the worm shaft. The device for compensating the unwanted axial backlash of the worm shaft includes two pressure bodies between which the worm shaft is clamped in the axial direction by a diaphragm spring device. The diaphragm spring is assigned to one of the pressure bodies.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A worm drive comprising:
a rotatably mounted worm shaft, and
a device for compensating an axial backlash of the worm shaft, wherein the device for compensating the axial backlash of the worm shaft includes two pressure bodies between which the worm shaft is clamped in the axial direction by a diaphragm spring device, wherein the diaphragm spring device is assigned to one of the pressure bodies,
wherein each of the shaft ends has a surface that abuts a surface of a respective one of the pressure bodies,
wherein the respective surface of each of the shaft ends is at a respective one of the outermost portions of the worm shaft in the axial direction,
wherein a force is applied by each of the pressure bodies on the respective surface of the shaft ends,
wherein the worm drive is a double worm drive, and
wherein the worm shaft has two axial sections with different tooth systems,
where the two axial sections are between shaft ends of the worm shaft, wherein the tooth system of a first axial section of the two axial sections couples with a drive shaft, and the tooth system of a second axial section of the two axial sections couples with a worm gear,
wherein the worm shaft is an intermediate shaft in the double worm drive, and
wherein the drive shaft is configured to be coupled to a motor to deliver torque to the intermediate shaft.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The worm drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pressure body to which the diaphragm spring device is assigned is arranged between the diaphragm spring device and one shaft end of the worm shaft.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The worm drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pressure bodies are plates.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The worm drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diaphragm spring device comprises two diaphragm springs.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The worm drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diaphragm spring device is combined with a spring holder which has an axial stop body for the diaphragm spring device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The worm drive as claimed in claim 5, wherein the spring holder comprises a spacer that extends through the diaphragm spring device from the stop body and, with a free end, forms a stop for the pressure body to which the diaphragm spring device is assigned.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

An adjusting device having a worm drive as claimed in claim 1.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

A motor vehicle having an adjusting device as claimed in claim 7.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The worm drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein the diaphragm spring device applies a compensating force on another face of one of the pressure bodies.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The worm drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein the entirety of the worm shaft is rotatably mounted between the pressure bodies.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The worm drive as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the worm shaft is an elongate body extending in the axial direction from a first shaft end at a first outermost portion to a second shaft end at a second outermost portion,
wherein the shaft ends comprise the first shaft end and the second shaft end, and
wherein the outermost portions comprise the first outermost portion and the second outermost portion.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The worm drive as claimed in claim 1, wherein the each of the shaft ends are rotatably mounted in a housing via sliding bearings.