Back to results
US 7,721,616 B2Granted
Sprung gear set and method
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsMichael J. Augustine, Christian E. Ross, Steven J. Collier-Hallman, Mohammad S. Islam
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed herein is an apparatus that relates to a gear set. The apparatus includes, a housing, a first gear movable in the housing such that a first axis defined by the first gear is repositionable relative to the housing, a second gear in mesh with the first gear, and a second axis defined by the second gear. The apparatus constrains movement of the first axis to a plane containing both the first axis and a line commonly perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis, and a biasing member that urges the first gear toward the second gear.
Claims13
A gear set apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
- a first gear in said housing between a first bearing and a second bearing, at least one of said first bearing and said second bearing fixedly attached to said housing, said first gear moveable in said housing such that a first axis defined by the first gear is repositionable relative to the housing;
- a second gear in mesh with the first gear;
- a second axis defined by the second gear, and movement of the first axis is constrained to a plane containing both the first axis and a line commonly perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis;
- and
- a biasing member that urges the first gear toward the second gear.
3 more elements
A gear set apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
- a first gear in said housing between a first bearing and a second bearing, at least one of said first bearing and said second bearing fixedly attached to said housing, said first gear moveable in said housing such that a first axis defined by the first gear is repositionable relative to the housing;
- a second gear in mesh with the first gear;
- a second axis defined by the second gear, and movement of the first axis is constrained to a plane containing both the first axis and a line commonly perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis;
- a biasing member that urges the first gear toward the second gear;
- and
- an active member that resists the movement of the first gear away from the second gear, and adjusts the resistance to the movement of the first gear in response to gear torque or gear vibration.
4 more elements
A gear set apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
- a first gear in said housing between a first bearing and a second bearing, at least one of said first bearing and said second bearing fixedly attached to said housing, said first gear moveable in said housing such that a first axis defined by the first gear is repositionable relative to the housing;
- a second gear in mesh with the first gear;
- a second axis defined by the second gear, and movement of the first axis is constrained to a plane containing both the first axis and a line commonly perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis;
- a biasing member that urges the first gear toward the second gear;
- and
- an active member that resists the movement of the first gear away from the second gear, the active member is a hydraulic damper, a magnetorheological fluid damper, or a solenoid.
4 more elements
A gear set apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
- a first gear in said housing between a first bearing and a second bearing, at least one of said first bearing and said second bearing fixedly attached to said housing, said first gear moveable in said housing such that a first axis defined by the first gear is repositionable relative to the housing;
- a second gear in mesh with the first gear;
- a second axis defined by the second gear, and movement of the first axis is constrained to a plane containing both the first axis and a line commonly perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis;
- and
- a biasing member that urges the first gear toward the second gear, wherein the biasing member is a four-bar-linkage.
3 more elements
A gear set apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
- a first gear in said housing between a first bearing and a second bearing, at least one of said first bearing and said second bearing fixedly attached to said housing, said first gear moveable in said housing such that a first axis defined by the first gear is repositionable relative to the housing;
- a second gear in mesh with the first gear;
- a second axis defined by the second gear, and movement of the first axis is constrained to a plane containing both the first axis and a line commonly perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis;
- a biasing member that urges the first gear toward the second gear;
- and
- at least one four-bar-linkage that controls the movement of the first gear relative to the housing.
4 more elements
A gear set apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
- a first gear in said housing between a first bearing and a second bearing, at least one of said first bearing and said second bearing fixedly attached to said housing, said first gear moveable in said housing such that a first axis defined by the first gear is repositionable relative to the housing;
- a second gear in mesh with the first gear;
- a second axis defined by the second gear, and movement of the first axis is constrained to a plane containing both the first axis and a line commonly perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis;
- a biasing member that urges the first gear toward the second gear;
- at least two ball bearings constrained to travel in at least one pair of complementary grooves that control the motion of the first gear relative to the housing, the at least one pair of complementary grooves having an arcuate shape;
- at least one ball carrier that maintains spacing between the at least two ball bearings;
- and
- at least one carrier control link that maintains position of the at least one ball carrier relative to the housing and the first gear.
6 more elements
A gear set apparatus comprising:
- a first gear having teeth and a first shaft;
- a second gear having teeth and a second shaft, and the teeth of the second gear mesh with the teeth of the first gear;
- a housing, wherein the second shaft is rotationally attached to the housing and the first shaft is rotationally and movably attached to the housing through a structure, including a first bearing and a second bearing, at least one of said first bearing and said second bearing fixedly attached to said housing, such that the movement of the first shaft is constrained to a plane containing both the first shaft and a line commonly perpendicular to the first shaft and the second shaft;
- and
- a biasing member that urges movement of the first shaft toward the second shaft thereby maintaining continuous contact of the teeth of the first gear with the teeth of the second gear.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.