# US 5,345,793 A · Drive system for an automatic washer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,345,793 A - Document ID: US5345793A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/078,510 - Filed: 1993-06-21 - Granted: 1994-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 1993-06-21 - Assignees: Whirlpool Corporation - Inventors: Brenner M. Sharp - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5345793A ## CPC - D06F 37/40: for driving the receptacle and an agitator or impeller, e.g. alternatively {(D06F37/304, D06F37/308 take precedence)} - Y10S 475/901: Particular material - Y10S 475/902: Nonmetallic - D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract In an automatic washer drive system, a planetary gear arrangement is provided including an input drive shaft being drivingly connected to a motor at one end and having a sun gear interconnected with a second end. A plurality of cylindrical plastic planet gears are disposed around and engage the sun gear. A plastic unitary carrier member rotatably supports the planet gears and further interconnects with an output drive shaft for causing rotation of an agitator. A gear housing surrounds the cylindrical planetary gears which engage an internal ring gear disposed on an inner peripheral surface of the gear housing. The plastic unitary carrier member is configured to include a plate portion which extends outwardly in the radial direction with respect to the output drive shaft. A plurality of the cylindrical pin portions extend from the plate portion in the longitudinal direction with respect to the output drive shaft. These cylindrical pin portions provide the rotatable support of the cylindrical planet gears. A boss portion extends from a center portion of the plate portion and includes internal grooves for receiving splines disposed on the output drive shaft such that the unitary carrier member and output drive shaft are rigidly interconnected. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gear reduction mechanism comprising: a rotary input drive shaft; a sun gear interconnected with said input drive shaft; a plurality of cylindrical planet gears engaging said sun gear; an output vertical shaft; a unitary carrier member being formed of plastic resin and having integral means for rotatably supporting said cylindrical planet gears and further having means for interconnecting with said output vertical shaft for causing rotation of said output vertical shaft; and a gear housing having an internal gear ring surrounding said cylindrical planet gears, said plurality of cylindrical planet gears engaging said internal gear ring member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A gear reduction mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said unitary carrier member further comprises: a plate portion extending outwardly in the radial direction with respect to said output vertical shaft; a plurality of cylindrical hollow pin portions extending from said plate portion in the longitudinal direction with respect to said output vertical shaft, said cylindrical hollow pin portions rotatably supporting said cylindrical planet gears; and a boss portion extending from said plate portion in the longitudinal direction with respect to said output vertical shaft, said boss portion being interconnected with said output vertical shaft for causing rotation of said output vertical shaft. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The gear reduction mechanism according to claim 2 wherein said plurality of cylindrical hollow pin portions have an outer diameter substantially equal to the pitch diameter of said plurality of cylindrical planet gears. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A gear reduction mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said drive shaft has an outer peripheral surface and said sun gear is integrally formed on outer peripheral surface of said drive shaft. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A gear reduction mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said gear housing further comprises: a flange portion; and a cylindrical portion extending from said flange portion in the longitudinal direction with respect to said input drive shaft, said cylindrical portion having an inner peripheral surface, said internal gear ring being formed on said inner peripheral surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A gear reduction mechanism according to claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of cylindrical planet gears consist of: a thin cylindrical wall member having an outer peripheral surface; and a plurality of axially oriented teeth disposed on said outer peripheral surface of said thin cylindrical wall member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A gear reduction mechanism according to claim 6 wherein each of said plurality of cylindrical planet gears are formed from a plastic resin and are configured such that said thin cylindrical wall deforms during operation such that the pitch diameter of the cylindrical planet gears is controlled by the unitary carrier member means for rotatably supporting said cylindrical planet gears. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A gear reduction mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of cylindrical planet gears, said unitary carrier member and said gear housing are all formed from plastic resins having equivalent coefficients of thermal expansion such that the spacing between the components remains constant over a range of temperatures. ### Claim 9 An automatic washer having a vertical axis agitator, a concentrically mounted wash basket, a motor drivingly connected to said agitator to selectively oscillate or rotate said agitator about said vertical axis, and a drive system for drivingly interconnecting said motor with said agitator, said drive system comprising: an input drive shaft having a first end interconnected with said motor and a second end; a sun gear interconnected with said second end of said input drive shaft; a plurality of cylindrical planet gears engaging said sun gear; an output vertical shaft; a unitary carrier member being formed of plastic resin and having integral means for rotatably supporting said cylindrical planet gears and further having means for interconnecting with said output vertical shaft for causing rotation of said output vertical shaft; a gear housing having an inner peripheral surface; and an internal gear ring formed on said inner peripheral surface of said gear housing, said plurality of cylindrical planet gears engaging said internal gear ring. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) An automatic washer according to claim 9 wherein said unitary carrier member further comprises: a plate portion extending outwardly in the radial direction with respect to said output vertical shaft; a plurality of cylindrical hollow pin portions extending from said plate portion in the longitudinal direction with respect to said output vertical shaft, said cylindrical hollow pin portions rotatably supporting said cylindrical planet gears; and a boss portion extending from said plate portion in the longitudinal direction with respect to said output vertical shaft, said boss portion being interconnected with said output vertical shaft for causing rotation of said output vertical shaft. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The automatic washer according to claim 10 wherein each of said plurality of cylindrical hollow pin portions have an outer diameter and further wherein the ratio of the pitch diameter of each of said plurality of said cylindrical planet gears to said outer diameter of each of said plurality of cylindrical hollow pin portions is less than 1.5. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) An automatic washer according to claim 9 wherein said input drive shaft has an outer peripheral surface and said sun gear is integrally formed on outer peripheral surface of said input drive shaft. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) An automatic washer according to claim 9 wherein said gear housing further comprises: a flange portion; and a cylindrical portion extending from said flange portion in the longitudinal direction with respect to said input drive shaft, said cylindrical portion having an inner peripheral surface, said internal gear ring being formed on said inner peripheral surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) An automatic washer according to claim 9 wherein each of said plurality of cylindrical planet gears consist of: a thin cylindrical wall member having an outer peripheral surface; and a plurality of axially oriented teeth disposed on said outer peripheral surface of said thin cylindrical wall member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) An automatic washer according to claim 14 wherein each of said plurality of cylindrical planet gears are formed from a plastic resin and are configured such that said thin cylindrical wall deforms during operation such that the pitch diameter of the cylindrical planet gears is controlled by the unitary carrier member means for rotatably supporting said cylindrical planet gears. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) An automatic washer according to claim 9 wherein said plurality of cylindrical planet gears, said unitary carrier member and said gear housing are all formed from plastic resins having equivalent coefficients of thermal expansion such that the spacing between the components remains constant over a range of temperatures. ### Claim 17 A gear reduction mechanism comprising: a rotary input drive shaft; a sun gear interconnected with said input drive shaft; a plurality of cylindrical planet gears engaging said sun gear; an output vertical shaft; a unitary carrier member having a plurality of cylindrical hollow pin portions for rotatably supporting said cylindrical planet gears and further having means for interconnecting with said output vertical shaft for causing rotation of said output vertical shaft; and a gear housing having an internal gear ring surrounding said cylindrical planet gears, said plurality of cylindrical planet gears engaging said internal gear ring member. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A gear reduction mechanism according to claim 17 wherein 2 said unitary carrier member further comprises: a plate portion extending outwardly in the radial direction with respect to said output vertical shaft; said plurality of cylindrical pin portions extending from said plate portion in the longitudinal direction with respect to said output vertical shaft, said cylindrical hollow pin portions rotatably supporting said cylindrical planet gears; and a boss portion extending from said plate portion in the longitudinal direction with respect to said output vertical shaft, said boss portion being interconnected with said output vertical shaft for causing rotation of said output vertical shaft. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) A gear reduction mechanism according to claim 17 wherein said drive shaft has an outer peripheral surface and said sun gear is integrally formed on outer peripheral surface of said drive shaft. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) A gear reduction mechanism according to claim 17 wherein said gear housing further comprises: a flange portion; and a cylindrical portion extending from said flange portion in the longitudinal direction with respect to said input drive shaft, said cylindrical portion having an inner peripheral surface, said internal gear ring being formed on said inner peripheral surface. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) A gear reduction mechanism according to claim 17 wherein each of said plurality of cylindrical planet gears further comprise: a thin cylindrical wall member having an outer peripheral surface; and a plurality of axially oriented teeth disposed on said outer peripheral surface of said thin cylindrical wall member. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) A gear reduction mechanism according to claim 21 wherein each of said plurality of cylindrical planet gears are formed from a plastic resin and are configured such that said thin cylindrical wall deforms during operation such that the pitch diameter of the cylindrical planet gears is controlled by the unitary carrier member means for rotatably supporting said cylindrical planet gears. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) A gear reduction mechanism according to claim 17 wherein said plurality of cylindrical planet gears, said unitary carrier member and said gear housing are all formed from plastic resins having equivalent coefficients of thermal expansion such that the spacing between the components remains constant over a range of temperatures.