US 9,790,931 B1Granted

Transmission assembly

AssigneeHydro-Gear Limited Partnership

InventorsJesse L. Probst, Eric S. Phanco, Joseph P. Niemerg, Shane A. Deters

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Abstract

A drive device incorporating a hydraulic pump having a swash plate. At least two structural ribs and skirting ribs are located on and extend along the length of the swash plate. A plurality of thrust ribs may be formed on an inner housing surface and adjacent to respective contact surfaces on the swash plate, the thrust ribs being located so that at least one, but fewer than all, of the ribs can be in contact with its respective contact surface on the swash plate at a time, permitting rotation while limiting axial movement of the swash plate. A trunnion shaft includes a free end disposed so as to be accessible from outside the housing through a bore formed therein, and a control arm having a shaft portion extends into and supports the distal free end of the trunnion shaft within the bore.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A hydraulic drive device, comprising:

a housing forming an internal sump;
a pump running surface disposed in the housing;
a pump cylinder block rotatably disposed on the pump running surface and having a plurality of pump pistons disposed therein, the pump cylinder block having a first axis of rotation;
a thrust bearing engaged to the plurality of pump pistons;
a swash plate disposed in the housing and having a second axis of rotation perpendicular to the first axis of rotation, the swash plate comprising a plurality of contact surfaces;
and
the housing having a plurality of thrust ribs formed on an inner surface thereof, a first of the thrust ribs being located adjacent to one of the plurality of contact surfaces on the swash plate and a second of the thrust ribs being located adjacent to another of the plurality of contact surfaces on the swash plate, the thrust ribs being located so that at least one, but fewer than all, of the thrust ribs can be in contact with its respective contact surface on the swash plate at a time, wherein the plurality of thrust ribs permits rotation of the swash plate while limiting movement of the swash plate in an axial direction parallel to the second axis of rotation.

4 more elements

A hydraulic drive device, comprising:

a housing forming an internal sump;
a hydraulic pump disposed in the housing and comprising a plurality of axial pistons;
a swash plate disposed in the housing and engaged to the plurality of axial pistons for varying an output of the hydraulic pump, the swash plate having a first end and a second end;
a trunnion shaft having a proximal end engaged to the first end of the swash plate, and a distal free end disposed so as to be accessible from outside the housing through a bore formed in the housing;
and
a control arm for rotating the trunnion shaft and the swash plate about a first axis of rotation, the control arm having a shaft portion extending into and engaging the bore, wherein the shaft portion supports the distal free end of the trunnion shaft within the bore.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/640,616Filed 6 Mar 2015 · continuation
Priority: 23 Dec 2010
Granted: 17 Oct 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

F04B 1/2078
Details or component parts: swash plates
F01B 3/0032
Reciprocating-piston machines or engines with cylinder axes coaxial with, or parallel or inclined to, main shaft axis: having rotary cylinder block
F01B 3/02
Reciprocating-piston machines or engines with cylinder axes coaxial with, or parallel or inclined to, main shaft axis: with wobble-plate
F04B 1/2035
Details or component parts: cylinder barrels