Multi-gear-ratio portal gear box
AssigneeSuper ATV, LLC
InventorsJordan E. Stephan, Justin L. Eaton, Jason Stewart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A portal gear box assembly effective to lift and change the gear ratio of a wheel of an off-road vehicle includes a housing, an input gear sub-assembly, an output gear sub-assembly, and an idler gear sub-assembly effective for linking the input gear to the output gear. The input gear sub-assembly includes an input gear, the output gear sub-assembly includes an output gear, and the idler gear sub-assembly includes at least one idler gear and at least one removable adaptor effective for holding the idler gear in either a first position or a second position different from the first position. The sub-assemblies may also include bearings to facilitate movement of the gears.
Claims6
A portal gear box assembly effective to lift and change the gear ratio of a wheel of an off-road vehicle, the assembly comprising a housing, an input gear sub-assembly, an output gear sub-assembly, and an idler gear sub-assembly effective for linking the input gear to the output gear;
- wherein the input gear sub-assembly comprises an input gear operably connected to a driven input shaft, the output gear sub-assembly comprises an output gear operably connected to an output shaft, and the idler gear sub-assembly comprises at least one idler gear adapted to transfer power from the input gear to the output gear and at least one removable adaptor effective for holding said idler gear(s) in either a first position or a second position different from its first position;
- wherein the housing includes an input gear indent adapted to receive the input gear sub-assembly and to hold it in a first input gear assembly position within the housing, an output gear indent adapted to receive the output gear sub-assembly and to hold it in a first output gear assembly position within the housing, and an idler gear indent adapted to receive the idler gear sub-assembly and to hold it in a first idler gear assembly position within the housing.
A method for changing the gear ratio of a portal gear box for an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) or a utility task vehicle (UTV), the method comprising:
- a) providing a portal gear box assembly effective to lift and change the gear ratio of a wheel of an off-road vehicle, the assembly comprising a housing, an input gear sub-assembly, an output gear sub-assembly, and an idler gear sub-assembly effective for linking the input gear to the output gear;
- wherein the input gear sub-assembly comprises an input gear, the output gear sub-assembly comprises an output gear, and the idler gear sub-assembly comprises at least one idler gear and at least one removable adaptor effective for holding the idler gear in either a first position or a second position different from the first position;
- b) installing a first of said at least one removable adaptor in its first position;
- c) subsequently switching said first removable adaptor from its first position to its second position by removing the removable adaptor from its first position and subsequently installing that removable adaptor in a second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.