Staked Nut And Flange For Gear Support

• US 20120186390A1
• Filed: 09/27/2010
• Published: 07/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: McLaren Performance Technologies, Inc. (Linamar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: McLaren Performance Technologies, Inc. (Linamar Corporation)
• Inventors: Cook, Dennis, Adler, Jonathan M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,746,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/640
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 39/105 locking the bold head or nut into a hole or cavity, e.g. with the cup washer, ring or sleeve deformed into a dimple in the cavity
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/0025 with gearing elements rigidly connected to a shaft, e.g. securing gears or pulleys by specially adapted splines, keys or methods
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/021 Shaft support structures, e.g. partition walls, bearing eyes, casing walls or covers with bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/038 Gearboxes for accommodating bevel gears F16H57/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49954 Fastener deformed after application
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19 Gearing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19665 Bevel gear type

Abstract

A gearbox assembly includes a pinion gear having a gear stem extending axially through a tubular output stem of an output member with a threaded portion protruding from an output flange of the output member. A pinion nut includes a threaded inner bore threadably engaging the threaded portion of the gear stem to retain the output member to the pinion gear. An outer rim of the pinion nut defines an outer circumference having a tool recess and a deformation spaced circumferentially apart from the tool recess. The tool recess is adapted for receiving a tool to rotate the pinion nut in a first direction relative to the gear stem. The deformation engages an inner circumference of the output flange to prevent the pinion nut from rotating in a second direction relative to the gear stem.

Claims

1. A gearbox assembly comprising:

a pinion gear including a gear stem defining an axis, said gear stem having a threaded portion;

an output member including an output flange and a tubular output stem, said output flange including an inner circumference coaxial with said tubular output stem, wherein said gear stem extends axially through said tubular output stem and said inner circumference such that said threaded portion protrudes from said output flange; and

a pinion nut including a threaded inner bore and an outer rim, said threaded inner bore threadably engaging said threaded portion of said gear stem thereby retaining said output member to said pinion gear, said outer rim defining an outer circumference including at least one tool recess and at least one deformation spaced circumferentially apart from said at least one tool recess, wherein said at least one tool recess is adapted for receiving a tool to rotate said pinion nut in a first direction relative to said gear stem, and said at least one deformation engaging said inner circumference of said output flange thereby preventing said pinion nut from rotating in a second direction relative to said gear stem.

2. The gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said outer rim establishes a plane perpendicularly to said axis, and wherein said at least one tool recess and said at least one deformation are disposed in said plane such that said at least one tool recess and said at least one deformation are coplanar.

3. The gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said outer circumference of said pinion nut is undeformed between said at least one tool recess and said at least one deformation.

4. The gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said output flange includes a recessed portion coaxial with said tubular output stem, and wherein said pinion nut abuts said recessed portion thereby retaining said output member to said pinion gear.

5. The gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 4 wherein said recessed portion defines said inner circumference, said inner circumference including a plurality of serrations disposed therearound, said at least one deformation extending into one of said plurality of serrations.

6. The gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said at least one deformation includes a plurality of deformations spaced circumferentially apart, each one of said plurality of deformations extending into one of said plurality of serrations.

7. The gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 6 wherein said at least one tool recess includes a plurality of tool recesses spaced circumferentially apart, and wherein each one of said plurality of deformations is spaced circumferentially apart from said plurality of tool recesses.

8. The gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least one tool recess includes a first tool recess spaced circumferentially apart from a second tool recess, said at least one deformation spaced circumferentially between said first and second tool recesses.

9. The gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said inner circumference of said output member includes a plurality of directional serrations, said at least one deformation extending into one of said plurality of directional serrations.

10. The gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein each one of said plurality of directional serrations includes a flat side and a curved side, said flat side extending radially outward relative to said inner circumference, and said curved side extending between said flat side of one of said plurality of directional serrations and said flat side of the adjacent one of said plurality of directional serrations.

11. The gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein each one of said curved sides extends in a clockwise direction from an outer end of said flat side of one of said plurality of directional serrations to an inner end of said flat side of the adjacent one of said plurality of directional serrations.

12. The gearbox assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said at least one deformation is shaped substantially the same as one of said plurality of directional serrations, said at least one deformation includes a first side corresponding with said flat side and a second side corresponding with said curved side.

13. A fastener assembly comprising:

a first member including a threaded circumference;

a second member including a circumference having a plurality of serrations disposed therearound;

a nut including inner and outer circumferences, one of said inner and outer circumferences threadably engaging said threaded circumference of said first member thereby retaining said second member to said first member, and the other of said inner and outer circumferences including at least one tool recess and at least one deformation spaced circumferentially apart from said at least one tool recess, said at least one tool recess adapted for receiving a tool to rotate said nut in a first direction relative to said first member, and said at least one deformation extending into one of said plurality of serrations of said second member thereby preventing said nut from rotating in a second direction relative to said first member.

14. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said first member extends axially through said circumference of said second member.

15. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 14 wherein said inner circumference of said nut threadably engages said threaded circumference of said first member and said nut abuts said second member thereby retaining said second member to said first member.

16. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 15 wherein said outer circumference of said nut includes said at least one tool recess and said at least one deformation, and wherein said at least one tool recess and said at least one deformation are coplanar.

17. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 16 wherein said at least one deformation includes a plurality of deformations spaced circumferentially apart, each one of said plurality of deformations extending into one of said plurality of serrations.

18. The fastener assembly as set forth in claim 17 wherein said at least one tool recess includes a plurality of tool recesses spaced circumferentially apart, and wherein each one of said plurality of deformations is spaced circumferentially apart from said plurality of tool recesses.

19. A method of retaining an output member to a pinion gear with a pinion nut, the method including the steps of:

rotating the pinion nut along a threaded portion of the pinion gear using a tool recess in an outer circumference of the pinion nut; and

deforming the outer circumference of the pinion nut at a location spaced circumferentially apart from and coplanar with the tool recess to engage the outer circumference of the pinion nut with the output member after the step of rotating the pinion nut.

20. The method as set forth in claim 19 including the step of tightening the pinion nut against the output member using the tool recess in the outer circumference of the pinion nut prior to the step of deforming the outer circumference of the pinion nut.