EP0032994A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Improved partially fluid-locked drive train
Assignee: Astro Development Corp
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Filing: 1980-12-05
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2000-12-05
Abstract
Abstract improved partial locking for a fluid-locked planetary gear train is provided by loosely mounting planet gears (110, 111, 60, 61) for movement within the chambers (100-103) which closely surround the partially locked planet gears. The driving and reaction forces on the loosely mounted planet gears permit the planet gears to move so that their peripheral ends come into close engagement with the walls of the chambers in which the gears are mounted to further increase the fluid resistance to movement of the gears. To obtain similar partial locking characteristics in either a forward or a reverse direction, the planet gear pairs and their corresponding chambers are reversed in their relative positions.
Inventors
- 👤 Harold M. Dudek
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 10:36
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16H; F16H48/00; F16H48/06; F16H48/10; F16H48/11; F16H48/20; F16H48/27
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
213 words
An improved fluid-locked gear drive train for a transfer case of a differential or the like having an outer, fluid-tight housing; an inner housing; a planetary gear train within said inner housing, said gear train including a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears and an internal ring gear; plate means positioned on opposite sides of said gears in close abutting relation thereto and closely surrounding the peripheries of the gears, said inner housing being maintained in a generally fluid-filled condition, characterized by: means loosely mounting at least one of said planet gears for allowing the ends of the planet gear teeth to be moved into close abutting relation with the plate means surrounding said gears to increase hydrostatic drag on said gears; and said plate means including fluid inlet and outlet ports aligned with teeth of said gears but spaced around the periphery of the gears a distance from a point of mesh between two meshing gears for delivering fluid to a point of mesh between the gears and between said at least one more closely spaced planet gears and the plate means caused by said loose mounting means for increasing the hydrostatic fluid pressure on the teeth and thereby increasing fluid resistance drag on the planet gears for partial fluid lock.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
213 words
An improved fluid-locked gear drive train for a transfer case of a differential or the like having an outer, fluid-tight housing; an inner housing; a planetary gear train within said inner housing, said gear train including a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears and an internal ring gear; plate means positioned on opposite sides of said gears in close abutting relation thereto and closely surrounding the peripheries of the gears, said inner housing being maintained in a generally fluid-filled condition, characterized by: means loosely mounting at least one of said planet gears for allowing the ends of the planet gear teeth to be moved into close abutting relation with the plate means surrounding said gears to increase hydrostatic drag on said gears; and said plate means including fluid inlet and outlet ports aligned with teeth of said gears but spaced around the periphery of the gears a distance from a point of mesh between two meshing gears for delivering fluid to a point of mesh between the gears and between said at least one more closely spaced planet gears and the plate means caused by said loose mounting means for increasing the hydrostatic fluid pressure on the teeth and thereby increasing fluid resistance drag on the planet gears for partial fluid lock.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
103 words
The gear train drive of claim 1, characterized by said planet gears being in sets of pairs circumferentially spaced around said sun gear, each planet gear having an axis of rotation, with the axes of rotation of the planet gears of a set lying along a common line having a predetermined orientation, with such common lines of half of said planet gear sets having one orientation and the other half having a different, opposed orientation whereby torque loads on the respective sets will increase drag equally, regardless of direction of rotation of said planet gears for equalizing increased lock-up forces in both directions.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The gear train drive of claim 1 wherein the mounting means includes loose-fitting bearings for said at least one planet gear.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The gear train of claim 1 wherein at least one of the planet gears floats.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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