US3686978A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Plantetary reduction wheel hub
Assignee: FAIRFIED Mfg CO Inc
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Filing: 1971-04-09
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Granted: 1972-08-29
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Expires: 1991-04-09
Abstract
Abstract A planetary reduction drive, particularly for a vehicle wheel. A mounting flange adapted to be secured to the vehicle frame has a hollow spindle extending from one side, and a drive motor is mounted on the other side of the flange with its output shaft extending into the spindle. An input shaft is coupled to the motor shaft and extends outwardly from the spindle. A fixed ring gear surrounds the input shaft and is secured to the spindle adjacent its outer end. A housing has a first hub portion surrounding and rotatably mounted on the spindle and a second hub portion surrounding the fixed ring gear, the wheel being mounted on the housing. An output ring gear also surround the input shaft and is secured to the second hub portion of the housing. A planet carrier is positioned within the ring gears and supports at least two planet shafts, each of the planet shafts having a cluster of first and second planet gears thereon, the first planet gears meshing with the fixed ring gear and the second planet gears meshing with the output ring gear. The mesh of the planet gears with the ring gears comprises the sole support for the carrier. A sun gear is splined to the input shaft and meshes with one planet gear of each cluster.
Inventors
- 👤 John C Knoblach
- 👤 Ray M Shepard
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 09:52
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16H; F16H1/00; F16H1/28; F16H1/46; B; B60; B60K; B60K17/00; B60K17/04; B60K17/043; B60K17/046; F16H3/00; F16H3/001; F16H2001/2881
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
300 words
A planetary reduction drive comprising: a mounting flange having a hollow spindle extending outwardly from one side thereof, said spindle having an outer end, means for securing said flange to a support member, and means for mounting a drive motor on the other side of said flange with its output shaft extending into said spindle; an input shaft coaxial with said motor shaft having a first portion extending into said spindle and a second portion extending outwardly from said outer end thereof; means for coupling said first portion of said input shaft to said motor shaft; a fixed ring gear coaxial with and surrounding said second portion of said input shaft, and means for securing said fixed ring gear to said spindle adjacent said outer end thereof; a housing having a first hub portion surrounding and rotatably mounted on said spindle, a second hub portion surrounding said fixed ring gear, and means for mounting a rotatable driven element on said housing; an output ring gear coaxial with and suRrounding said second portion of said input shaft, secured to said second hub portion of said housing, and spaced outwardly from said fixed ring gear; a planet carrier within said ring gear and supporting at least two planet shafts in spaced, parallel relationship with said second portion of said input shaft, each of said planet shafts having a cluster of first and second planet gears thereon connected to rotate in unison, said first planet gears meshing with said fixed ring gear and said second planet gears meshing with said output ring gear; at least one sun gear on said second portion of said input shaft and meshing with one planet gear of each cluster; and means for connecting said sun gear to said second portion of said input shaft for rotation therewith.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
300 words
A planetary reduction drive comprising: a mounting flange having a hollow spindle extending outwardly from one side thereof, said spindle having an outer end, means for securing said flange to a support member, and means for mounting a drive motor on the other side of said flange with its output shaft extending into said spindle; an input shaft coaxial with said motor shaft having a first portion extending into said spindle and a second portion extending outwardly from said outer end thereof; means for coupling said first portion of said input shaft to said motor shaft; a fixed ring gear coaxial with and surrounding said second portion of said input shaft, and means for securing said fixed ring gear to said spindle adjacent said outer end thereof; a housing having a first hub portion surrounding and rotatably mounted on said spindle, a second hub portion surrounding said fixed ring gear, and means for mounting a rotatable driven element on said housing; an output ring gear coaxial with and suRrounding said second portion of said input shaft, secured to said second hub portion of said housing, and spaced outwardly from said fixed ring gear; a planet carrier within said ring gear and supporting at least two planet shafts in spaced, parallel relationship with said second portion of said input shaft, each of said planet shafts having a cluster of first and second planet gears thereon connected to rotate in unison, said first planet gears meshing with said fixed ring gear and said second planet gears meshing with said output ring gear; at least one sun gear on said second portion of said input shaft and meshing with one planet gear of each cluster; and means for connecting said sun gear to said second portion of said input shaft for rotation therewith.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The drive of claim 1 wherein the mesh of said planet gears with said ring gears comprise the sole support for said carrier.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
The drive of claim 1 wherein said coupling means removably couples said input shaft to said motor shaft and said securing means removably secures said fixed ring gear to said spindle, said output ring gear being removably secured to said second hub portion of said housing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The drive of claim 3 wherein said fixed ring gear is carried on the side wall of a cup-shaped member, said cup-shaped member having an end wall, said securing means comprising a splined connection between said end wall and said spindle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The drive of claim 3 wherein said second hub portion has an outer end, and further comprising means for removably securing said output ring gear to said outer end of said second hub portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
The drive of claim 5 further comprising a cover member having a rim portion abutting said output ring gear, said last-named securing means comprising threaded fasteners securing said cover member and output ring gear to said outer end of said second hub portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The drive of claim 1 wherein said connecting means comprises a splined connection between said second portion of said input shaft and said sun gear.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
59 words
The drive of claim 7 wherein said splined connection comprises external splines extending substantially the length of said second portion of said input shaft, and mating internal splines on said sun gear removably connecting the same to said external splines whereby a selected sun gear may be selectively meshed with the first or second planet gears of said clusters.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
153 words
The drive of claim 1 wherein said motor shaft and first portion of said input shaft respectively have external splines thereon, said coupling means comprising an internally splined sleeve removably coupling said shafts, said fixed ring gear being carried on the side wall of a cup-shaped member, said cup-shaped member having an end wall, said securing means comprising a splined connection removably connecting said end wall to said spindle, said second hub portion having an outer end, said output ring gear being carried by an annular member abutting said outer end of said second hub portion, and further comprising a cover member having a rim portion abutting said annular member, threaded fasteners removably securing said cover member and annular member to said outer end of said second hub portion, and bearing means rotatably mounting said first hub portion on said spindle intermediate said end wall of said cup-shaped member and said plate member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The drive of claim 9 wherein said second portion of said hub member, said annular member, and said rim portion of said cover member define a continuous cylindrical outer surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The drive of claim 1 wherein said driven element mounting means comprises an annular flange intermediate said first and second hub portions of said housing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
57 words
The drive of claim 1 wherein there are two of said sun gears respectively in mesh with said first and second planet gears, said connecting means comprising means for selectively connecting one or the other of said sun gears to said second portion of said input shaft thereby providing two different speed reduction ratios for said drive.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
74 words
The drive of claim 12 wherein each of said sun gears has internal splines thereon, said second portion of said input shaft having an externally splined section, said selective connecting means comprising means for axially shifting said input shaft between a first position with said splined section engaging the internal splines of one of said pinions and a second position with said splined section engaging the internal splines of the other of said pinions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The drive of claim 13 wherein said shifting means has an intermediate position with said splined section of said input shaft spaced between said internal splines of said sun gears.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
164 words
The drive of claim 12 wherein said selective connecting means comprises an axially movable sleeve surrounding and having a splined connection with said second portion of said input shaft and having opposite ends, said sun gears being rotatably mounted on said sleeve between said ends thereof, said sun gears respectively having clutch teeth on the sides thereof facing said ends of said sleeve, said sleeve having clutch teeth respectively formed on said opposite ends thereof, and means for selectively axially shifting said sleeve between a first position with the clutch teeth at one end thereof engaging the clutch teeth on one sun gear and with the clutch teeth at the other end disengaged from the clutch teeth on the other sun gear, and a second position with the clutch teeth at the other end of said sleeve engaging the clutch teeth on the other sun gear and the clutch teeth at said one end disengaged from the clutch teeth on said one sun gear.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
The drive of claim 12 wherein said selective connecting means comprises first and second clutch means for respectively drivingly connecting said sun gears to said second portion of said input shaft.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
131 words
The drive of claim 16 wherein said sun gears are rotatably mounted on said second portion of said input shaft, each of said clutch means comprising a driven clutch disc secured to the respective sun gear and spaced therefrom, a stationary clutch disc secured to said second portion of said input shaft between said driven disc and the respective sun gear, a pressure clutch disc having a splined connection with said second portion of said input shaft, said driven disc being disposed from said stationary disc and pressure disc, spring means for normally biasing said pressure and stationary discs away from engagement with said driven disc, and means for selectively moving said pressure disc toward said driven disc thereby drivingly to clamp said driven disc between said stationary and pressure discs.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
57 words
The drive of claim 17 further comprising first actuator means mounted in said spindle for actuating the pressure disc of one of said clutch means, a cover member secured to said second hub portion of said housing, and second actuator means mounted in said cover for actuating the pressure disc of the other of said clutch means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
57 words
The drive of claim 1 wherein said connecting means comprises a splined section on said input shaft and mating splines on said sun gear, said input shaft being axially movable between a drive position with said splined section engaging said sun gear splines, and a disconnected position with said splined section disengaged from said sun gear splines.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
166 words
The drive of claim 19 further comprising spring means for normally biasing said input shaft to said drive position thereof, a cover member secured to said second hub portion, said cover member having a hub portion coaxial with said input shaft and having a coaxial opening therethrough, a disconnect member in said opening and axially movable therein with said input shaft between said positions thereof, and a disconnect cap removably secured to said cover member and covering said opening therein, said cap having a projection thereon, said cap being adapted to be secured to said cover member in a first position with said projection disengaged from said disconnect member, said sprIng means biasing said input shaft and disconnect member to said drive position in said first cap position, said cap being adapted to be secured to said cover member in a second position with said projection engaging said disconnect member and moving the same and said shaft to said disconnected position in said second cap position.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-08-29 | 1976-02-28 | 1976-08-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-08-29 | 1980-02-28 | 1980-08-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-08-29 | 1984-02-28 | 1984-08-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |