CARRIER ASSEMBLY WITH THREADED ADJUSTMENT MEMBER
First Claim
1. A carrier assembly comprising:
- a housing;
a cylindrical body having an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface, said outer circumferential surface having a threaded attachment surface to threadably attach to said housing;
at least one bearing directly engaging said inner circumferential surface;
a first pilot surface formed on said outer circumferential surface and positioned on one side of said threaded attachment surface;
a second pilot surface positioned on an opposite side of said threaded attachment surface, and wherein said cylindrical body is selectively adjustable via said threaded attachment surface to provide a desired carrier characteristic;
a splined surface formed within said outer circumferential surface of said cylindrical body; and
a splined lock member engaging said splined surface once said desired carrier characteristic is achieved to lock said cylindrical body to said housing.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A carrier assembly includes an adjustment member with a threaded attachment surface that is threadably attached to a mating threaded surface of a housing. The threaded attachment surface is formed on the adjustment member between first and second pilot surfaces, which allows the adjustment member to be selectively rotated to adjust a position of the adjustment member relative to the housing to set a desired carrier characteristic without requiring shims or spacers. The adjustment member also includes a splined outer surface that engages a splined lock member to lock the adjustment member to the housing once the desired carrier characteristic has been set.
44 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A carrier assembly comprising:
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a housing; a cylindrical body having an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface, said outer circumferential surface having a threaded attachment surface to threadably attach to said housing; at least one bearing directly engaging said inner circumferential surface; a first pilot surface formed on said outer circumferential surface and positioned on one side of said threaded attachment surface; a second pilot surface positioned on an opposite side of said threaded attachment surface, and wherein said cylindrical body is selectively adjustable via said threaded attachment surface to provide a desired carrier characteristic; a splined surface formed within said outer circumferential surface of said cylindrical body; and a splined lock member engaging said splined surface once said desired carrier characteristic is achieved to lock said cylindrical body to said housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A carrier assembly comprising:
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a carrier shell; a ring gear positioned within said carrier shell, said ring gear having a plurality of ring gear teeth; a pinion gear having a plurality of pinion gear teeth in meshing engagement with said plurality of ring gear teeth; and a pinion cage having an inner pilot surface to directly face a first inner surface portion of said carrier shell and an outer pilot surface to directly face a second inner surface portion of said carrier shell that is axially spaced from said first inner surface portion, and wherein said pinion cage includes a threaded surface that engages a mating threaded surface on said carrier shell that is positioned between said first and said second inner surface portions, and wherein said pinion cage is selectively adjustable via said threaded surface to provide a desired gear contact pattern between said pinion gear and said ring gear. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of adjusting gear contact between a pinion gear and a ring gear comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a pinion cage having an outer threaded surface portion, a first pilot surface positioned on one side of the outer threaded surface portion, and a second pilot surface positioned on an opposite side of the outer threaded surface portion; (b) fitting the first and second pilot surface portions within a carrier shell while threadably attaching the pinion cage to a mating threaded surface on the carrier shell; and (c) rotating the pinion cage relative to a carrier shell via the threaded attachment to adjust a gear contact position of the pinion gear relative to the ring gear to achieve a desired gear contact pattern. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification