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US 5,456,642 AGranted
Geared traction unit
AssigneeNew Venture Gear, Inc.
InventorBarry L. Frost
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A geared torque transfer device is provided having a planetary type gear arrangement disposed within a housing that is substantially filled with a viscous fluid. Rotation of the planetary gear members within the housing in response to differential input and output rotational velocity causes the viscous fluid to be pumped through passages formed within the housing. Hydraulic resistance to this pumping action resists the free rotation of the unit for causing torque to be transferred from the input to the output.
Claims13
A geared torque transfer device comprising;
- a housing;
- an input sun gear rotatably supported in the housing;
- an output sun gear rotatably supported in the housing;
- a plurality of planet gears rotatably supported in the housing and in mutual engagement with the input and output sun gears;
- a quantity of viscous fluid disposed with the housing;
- means for defining a fluid flow path such that rotation of the planet gears causes the viscous fluid to flow through the fluid flow path;
- and
- means for restricting the free flow of fluid through the flow path thereby creating resistance to the rotation of the planet gears and housing in response to differences in rotational velocity of the input and output sun gears whereby torque is transferred between the input and output sun gears.
5 more elements
A geared torque transfer device comprising:
- a housing having a gear chamber, a reservoir chamber and an end plate, the end plate having a recess formed therein to provide a fluid flow path between the gear chamber and the reservoir chamber;
- an input sun gear rotatably supported in the gear chamber;
- an output sun gear rotatably supported in the gear chamber;
- a set of planet gears rotatably supported in the gear chamber and in mutual engagement with the input and output sun gears;
- a quantity of viscous fluid disposed within the gear chamber and the reservoir chamber;
- a valve disposed in the recess for restricting the free flow of viscous fluid through the fluid flow path;
- and
- whereby rotation of the planet gears causes viscous fluid to flow through the fluid flow path and the valve restricts the viscous flow of fluid to create resistance to the rotation of the planet gears and the housing in response to differences in rotational velocity of the input sun gear and output sun gear for transferring torque therebetween.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.