Lightweight gear
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorsDarryl M. Toni, Yuriy Gmirya, Emmett Emile Menair, Olivia Ivaldi, Michael Walter West, Nathaniel Dew
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A transmission gear includes a central hub defining a rotation axis. A transmission gear may include an outer ring including a plurality of gear teeth spaced circumferentially around the outer ring. A transmission gear may include a web interconnecting the central hub to the outer ring, wherein a portion of either the outer ring or the web defines a lattice structure having a density that is less than a density of a remining portion of the gear, the density of the lattice structure having a density gradient that is continuous in a radial direction from the rotation axis.
Claims22
A monolithic transmission gear produced through additive manufacturing, the transmission gear comprising:
- a central hub defining a rotation axis;
- an outer ring including a plurality of gear teeth spaced circumferentially around the outer ring;
- and
- a web interconnecting the central hub to the outer ring;
- wherein a portion of the outer ring defines a lattice structure having a density that is less than a density of a remaining portion of the gear, the density of the lattice structure having a density gradient that is continuous in a radial direction from the rotation axis.
(canceled)
(canceled)
A method of manufacturing a transmission gear, the method comprising:
- forming a body by an additive manufacturing process, the body having a central hub defining a rotation axis, an outer ring, a web interconnecting the central hub to the outer ring, and a portion of the outer ring or the web having a lattice structure with a density that is less than a density of a remaining portion of the gear, the density of the lattice structure having a density gradient that is continuous in a radial direction from the rotation axis;
- wherein forming the body by the additive manufacturing process includes forming the body at near net form in a single monolithic piece.
(canceled)
A monolithic transmission gear produced through additive manufacturing, the transmission gear comprising:
- a central hub defining a rotation axis;
- an outer ring including a plurality of gear teeth spaced circumferentially around the outer ring;
- and
- a web interconnecting the central hub to the outer ring;
- wherein a portion of the outer ring defines a first lattice structure and a portion of the web defines a second lattice structure that is different from the first lattice structure, the first and second lattice structures having a density that is less than a density of a remaining portion of the gear, the density of at least one of the first and second lattice structures having a density gradient that is continuous in a radial direction from the rotation axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.