SYSTEM FOR LAPPING RING AND PINION GEARS
First Claim
1. A system for lapping gear sets, each of the gear sets including a ring gear and a pinion gear, the system comprising:
- a lapping machine tool having a first spindle and a second spindle, the second spindle being rotatable about an axis that is generally perpendicular to a rotational axis of the first spindle, the lapping machine tool having a loading zone for loading the first and second spindles;
a robot with an end effector, the end effector having a first end that is configured to hold one of the gear sets;
wherein the robot is configured to position the first end of the end effector into the loading zone and to load the first gear set to the lapping machine tool without removing the end effector from the loading zone such that the ring gear is loaded onto the first spindle and the pinion gear is loaded onto the second spindle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for lapping gear sets with a ring gear and a pinion gear. The system includes a lapping machine tool and a robot. The lapping machine tool has a first spindle and a second spindle. The second spindle is rotatable about an axis that is generally perpendicular to a rotational axis of the first spindle. The lapping machine tool has a loading zone for loading the first and second spindles. The robot has an end effector with a first end that is configured to hold one of the gear sets. The robot is configured to position the first end of the end effector into the loading zone and to load the first gear set to the lapping machine tool without removing the end effector from the loading zone such that the ring gear is loaded onto the first spindle and the pinion gear is loaded onto the second spindle.
23 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system for lapping gear sets, each of the gear sets including a ring gear and a pinion gear, the system comprising:
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a lapping machine tool having a first spindle and a second spindle, the second spindle being rotatable about an axis that is generally perpendicular to a rotational axis of the first spindle, the lapping machine tool having a loading zone for loading the first and second spindles;
a robot with an end effector, the end effector having a first end that is configured to hold one of the gear sets;
wherein the robot is configured to position the first end of the end effector into the loading zone and to load the first gear set to the lapping machine tool without removing the end effector from the loading zone such that the ring gear is loaded onto the first spindle and the pinion gear is loaded onto the second spindle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A system for lapping gear sets, each of the gear sets including a ring gear and a pinion gear, the system comprising:
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a first lapping machine tool having a first spindle and a second spindle, the second spindle of the first lapping machine tool being rotatable about an axis that is generally perpendicular to a rotational axis of the first spindle of the first lapping machine tool, the first lapping machine tool having a first loading zone for loading the first and second spindles of the first lapping machine tool;
a robot with an end effector, the end effector having a first end that is configured to hold one of the gear sets;
wherein the robot is configured to position the first end of the end effector into the first loading zone and to unload the first gear set from the first lapping machine tool without removing the end effector from the first loading zone such that the ring gear is loaded onto the first spindle of the first lapping machine tool and the pinion gear is loaded onto the second spindle of the first lapping machine tool. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for lapping gear sets, each of the gear sets including a ring gear and a pinion gear, the system comprising:
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a robot with an articulating arm having a first arm member and a second arm member that is pivotally coupled to the first arm member; and
an end effector having a beam portion, a first tooling set and a second tooling set, the beam portion including a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the beam portion including a rotational axis that is disposed between the first and second ends, the first tooling set being coupled to the first end fo the beam portion and including a first tooling subset and a second tooling subset, the first tooling subset having a first set of jaws that are arranged about a first gear axis and which are adapted for releasably engaging the ring gear of a first one of the gear sets, the second tooling subset having a second set of jaws that are arranged about a second gear axis, the second gear axis being perpendicular to the first gear axis, the second set of jaws being adapted for releasably engaging a second gear, the second tooling set being coupled to the second end of the beam portion and being identical to the first tooling set. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for lapping gear sets, each of the gear sets including a ring gear and a pinion gear, the system comprising:
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a robot with an articulating arm having a first arm member and a second arm member that is pivotally coupled to the first arm member; and
an end effector having a beam portion, a first tooling set and a second tooling set, the beam portion including a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the beam portion including a rotational axis that is disposed between the first and second ends, the first tooling set being coupled to the first end fo the beam portion and including a first tooling subset and a second tooling subset, the first tooling subset having a first set of jaws that are arranged about a first gear axis and which are adapted for releasably engaging the ring gear of a first one of the gear sets, the second tooling subset having a second set of jaws that are arranged about a second gear axis, the second gear axis being perpendicular to the first gear axis, the second set of jaws being adapted for releasably engaging a second gear, the second tooling set being coupled to the second end of the beam portion and being identical to the first tooling set;
wherein the second tooling subset further includes an abutting member that is spaced apart from the second set of jaws and wherein the abutting member and the second set of jaws cooperate to capture the second gear, wherein the abutting member has a conical abutting surface that is adapted to mate with a surface of a mating conical recess that is formed in the second gear, wherein the second jaws travel in directions that are perpendicular to the second gear axis, and wherein the first jaws move in directions that are perpendicular to the first gear axis.
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Specification