Planetary wheel drive using thrust washer—cover arrangement

• US 10,272,773 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2017
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fairfield Manufacturing Company, Inc. (Dana, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Fairfield Manufacturing Company, Inc. (Dana, Inc.)
• Inventors: Martin, Scott, Li, Yichen, Richards, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Beauchaine, Mark J
• Application Number:
  US15/451,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20180252295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 17/046 with planetary gearing having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2007/0092 the motor axle being coaxial to the wheel axle
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 1/46 Systems consisting of a plurality of gear trains each with orbital gears, i.e. systems having three or more central gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2057/085 Bearings for orbital gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/041 Coatings or solid lubricants, e.g. antiseize layers or pastes
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0486 with fixed gear ratio differentials F16H57/0483
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/082 Planet carriers

Abstract

A planetary wheel drive uses a thrust washer residing between a cover and a thrust plate to absorb axial loads. The thrust washer is has a slip fit to the cover. The surface area of the thrust washer engaging the cover is larger than the surface area of the thrust washer engaging the thrust washer.

Claims

1. A planetary wheel drive, comprising:

a first end and a second end;

said second end includes a cover;

a high speed carrier thrust washer;

a high speed planet gear, a high speed planet pin and a high speed planet carrier;

a thrust plate;

said thrust plate interposed between said high speed planet gear and said high speed carrier thrust washer;

said high speed planet gear rotates about said high speed planet pin;

said high speed planet pin affixed to said high speed planet carrier;

said high speed carrier thrust washer interposed between said thrust plate and said cover;

and, when said high speed carrier thrust washer engages said thrust plate, axial thrust from said planet carrier is absorbed by said thrust washer and said cover.

2. A planetary wheel drive as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

said planet gear, said thrust plate and said thrust washer rotate at different relative speeds while said thrust washer is fixed to the cover.

3. A planetary wheel drive as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

said thrust washer is slip fit on said cover.

4. A planetary wheel drive as claimed in claim 1 wherein said thrust plate rotates with said planet carrier.

5. A planetary wheel drive as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

said thrust washer is slip fit on said cover and rotates with said cover.

6. A planetary wheel drive as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

said thrust washer engages said cover on two different surfaces.

7. A planetary wheel drive as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

said thrust washer is a cylinder and has a rectangularly shaped in cross section wall.

8. A planetary wheel drive as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

said thrust washer is a cylinder and has a squarely shaped in cross-section wall.