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US 2026/0049653 A1Published application
Self-sealing gears assembly with adapter
AssigneeTextron Innovations Inc.
InventorCharles Jared OTT
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spring-loaded cap mechanism includes an annular cap having a rotational axis and adapted to bear against a drive-shaft adapter and a spring positioned opposite the drive-shaft adapter and that axially biases the annular cap in a linear direction against the drive-shaft adapter responsive to engagement of the drive-shaft adapter with the annular cap.
Claims20
A spring-loaded cap mechanism comprising:
- an annular cap having a rotational axis and adapted to bear against a drive-shaft adapter;
- and
- a spring positioned opposite the drive-shaft adapter and that axially biases the annular cap in a linear direction against the drive-shaft adapter responsive to engagement of the drive-shaft adapter with the annular cap;
- wherein the spring axially biases the annular cap in the linear direction against a shoulder of a gear bounding the annular cap responsive to disengagement of the drive-shaft adapter from the annular cap, thereby sealing components of the gear from an ambient environment.
1 more element
(canceled)
A gear assembly comprising:
- a gear;
- a drive-shaft adapter rotationally coupled to the gear to drive a drive shaft;
- and
- a spring-loaded cap mechanism bounded by the gear and operable to bear axially against the drive-shaft adapter;
- wherein the gear comprises a shoulder and, responsive to disengagement of the drive-shaft adapter from the spring-loaded cap mechanism, a leading face of the spring-loaded cap mechanism seals components of the gear from an ambient environment.
2 more elements
(canceled)
A method of sealing internal components of a gear, the method comprising:
- inserting a drive-shaft adapter axially into an output gear;
- the drive-shaft adapter bearing against a spring-loaded cap mechanism;
- responsive to the drive-shaft adapter bearing, the spring-loaded cap mechanism exerting axial force against the drive-shaft adapter, exposing an oil path inside the output gear and the drive-shaft adapter;
- and
- responsive to removing of the drive-shaft adapter, the spring-loaded cap mechanism exerting axial force against a shoulder formed on an internal surface of the gear and sealing the oil path from an ambient environment.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.