Epicyclic gear system
AssigneeGoodrich Actuation Systems Limited
InventorStephen Davies
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An epicyclic gear system having an epicyclic gear stage that includes a sun gear; a carrier, wherein the carrier comprises a plurality of planet gear axles; a plurality of planet gears, each planet gear being located on one of the planet gear axles; a ring gear. The stage also includes an output shaft, wherein the output shaft is connected to the carrier via a biasing mechanism positioned between the carrier and the output shaft, the biasing mechanism being configured to urge the carrier and the output shaft away from one another.
Claims16
An epicyclic gear system having an epicyclic gear stage, the epicyclic gear stage comprising:
- a sun gear;
- a carrier, wherein the carrier comprises two planet gear axles;
- a plurality of planet gears, each planet gear being located on one of the planet gear axles;
- a ring gear;
- and
- an output shaft, wherein the output shaft is connected to the carrier via a biasing mechanism positioned between the carrier and the output shaft, the biasing mechanism being configured to urge the carrier and the output shaft away from one another,
- wherein the carrier is shaped in a semi-circular shape and a main curve of the semi-circular shape follows the curve of the ring gear, and wherein the two planet gear axles are positioned proximate to vertices of the semi-circular shape.
A method for reducing backlash in an epicyclic gear system having an epicyclic gear stage, the epicyclic gear stage comprising:
- a sun gear;
- a carrier, wherein the carrier comprises two planet gear axles;
- a plurality of planet gears, each planet gear being located on one of the planet gear axles;
- a ring gear;
- and
- an output shaft,
- wherein the carrier is shaped in a semi-circular shape and a main curve of the semi-circular shape follows the curve of the ring gear, and wherein the two planet gear axles are positioned proximate to vertices of the semi-circular shape,
- the method comprising:
- urging the carrier and the output shaft away from one another using a biasing mechanism positioned between the carrier and the output shaft.
An epicyclic gear system having an epicyclic gear stage, the epicyclic gear stage comprising:
- a sun gear;
- a carrier, wherein the carrier comprises a plurality of planet gear axles;
- a plurality of planet gears, each planet gear being located on one of the planet gear axles;
- a ring gear;
- and
- an output shaft, wherein the output shaft is connected to the carrier via a biasing mechanism positioned between the carrier and the output shaft, the biasing mechanism being configured to urge the carrier and the output shaft away from one another;
- wherein the carrier is shaped in a semi-circular shape and a main curve of the semi-circular shape follows the curve of the ring gear, and wherein the biasing mechanism is disposed proximate to both vertices of the semi-circular shape of the carrier to connect the carrier to the output shaft.
A method for reducing backlash in an epicyclic gear system having an epicyclic gear stage, the epicyclic gear stage comprising:
- a sun gear;
- a carrier, wherein the carrier comprises a plurality of planet gear axles;
- a plurality of planet gears, each planet gear being located on one of the planet gear axles;
- a ring gear;
- and
- an output shaft,
- wherein the carrier is shaped in a semi-circular shape and a main curve of the semi-circular shape follows the curve of the ring gear, and wherein the biasing mechanism is disposed proximate to both vertices of the semi-circular shape of the carrier to connect the carrier to the output shaft,
- the method comprising:
- urging the carrier and the output shaft away from one another using a biasing mechanism positioned between the carrier and the output shaft.
An epicyclic gear system having an epicyclic gear stage, the epicyclic gear stage comprising:
- a sun gear;
- a carrier, wherein the carrier comprises a plurality of planet gear axles;
- a plurality of planet gears, each planet gear being located on one of the planet gear axles;
- a ring gear;
- and
- an output shaft, wherein the output shaft is connected to the carrier via a biasing mechanism positioned between the carrier and the output shaft, the biasing mechanism being configured to urge the carrier and the output shaft away from one another,
- wherein the carrier is shaped in a semi-circular shape and a main curve of the semi-circular shape follows the curve of the ring gear, and wherein the output shaft is shaped to extend through the ring gear and adjacent to the carrier so that the output shaft is within the space in the ring gear unoccupied by the carrier.
A method for reducing backlash in an epicyclic gear system having an epicyclic gear stage, the epicyclic gear stage comprising:
- a sun gear;
- a carrier, wherein the carrier comprises a plurality of planet gear axles;
- a plurality of planet gears, each planet gear being located on one of the planet gear axles;
- a ring gear;
- and
- an output shaft,
- wherein the carrier is shaped in a semi-circular shape and a main curve of the semi-circular shape follows the curve of the ring gear, and wherein the output shaft is shaped to extend through the ring gear and adjacent to the carrier so that the output shaft is within the space in the ring gear unoccupied by the carrier,
- the method comprising:
- urging the carrier and the output shaft away from one another using a biasing mechanism positioned between the carrier and the output shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.