GEAR ASSEMBLY WITH SPIRAL GEARS

• US 20160033024A1
• Filed: 07/13/2015
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Td Ip Holdco, LLC
• Original Assignee: Td Ip Holdco, LLC
• Inventors: Yulkowski, Leon
• Granted Patent: US 9,651,130 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 1/002 controlled by automatically acting means for powered-operated mechanisms E05F15/70
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/53 for swinging wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 3/102 with rack-and-pinion transmission between driving shaft and piston within the closer housing
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/618 Transmission ratio variation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2201/716 Pinions
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/268 cylindrical; disc-shaped; circular
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2035/003 Gearings comprising pulleys or toothed members of non-circular shape, e.g. elliptical gears harmonic drives with elliptical wave generators F16H49/001
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 47/02 the fluid gearing being of the volumetric type

Abstract

A gear assembly comprises a housing, a first gear shaft in the housing, a first spiral gear coupled to the first gear shaft in the housing, a second gear shaft in the housing, a second spiral gear coupled to the second gear shaft in the housing, and a fluid connection between a first chamber and a second chamber. The first spiral gear and the second spiral gear couple to define the first chamber and the second chamber within the housing.

Claims

1. A gear assembly, comprising:

a housing,

a first gear shaft, in the housing,

a first spiral gear coupled to the first gear shaft, in the housing,

a second gear shaft, in the housing,

a second spiral gear coupled to the second gear shaft, in the housing, and

a fluid connection between a first chamber and a second chamber,

wherein the first spiral gear and the second spiral gear couple to define the first chamber and the second chamber within the housing.

2. The gear assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second spiral gears are substantially identical.

5. The gear assembly of claim 1, further comprising a fluid connection valve along the fluid connection.

6. The gear assembly of claim 1, further comprising a first bearing, coupled to the first gear shaft, and a second bearing, coupled to the second gear shaft.

9. The gear assembly of claim 1, wherein the first spiral gear includes a first gear valve, and

the second spiral gear includes a second gear valve.

10. The gear assembly of claim 9, wherein the first gear valve comprises a ball, and

the second gear valve comprises a ball and a spring.

11. The gear assembly of claim 1, wherein the first spiral gear and the first gear shaft comprise a first monolithic component, and

the second spiral gear and the second gear shaft comprise a second monolithic component.

12. The gear assembly of claim 1, further comprising a first bearing, coupled to the first gear shaft, and a second bearing, coupled to the second gear shaft,

wherein the first and second spiral gears are substantially identical,

the first spiral gear includes a first gear valve,

the second spiral gear includes a second gear valve,

the first spiral gear and the first gear shaft comprise a first monolithic component, and

the second spiral gear and the second gear shaft comprise a second monolithic component.

39. A method of operating a door coupled to the gear assembly of claim 1, comprising:

moving the door from a closed position to an open position, such that movement of the door rotates the first spiral gear and the second spiral gear in a first direction and moves a fluid from the first chamber into the second chamber; and

moving the door from the open position to the closed position, such that movement of the door rotates the first spiral gear and the second spiral gear in a second direction, opposite the first direction, and moves the fluid from the second chamber into the first chamber.

42. The method of claim 39, wherein the gear assembly further comprises a hydraulic pump in fluid connection with the first chamber and the second chamber.

43. The method of claim 39, wherein the gear assembly further comprises a torsion spring coupled to the second spiral gear shaft.

3-4. -4. (canceled)

7-8. -8. (canceled)

13. A door operator, for opening and closing a door, comprising:

a housing,

a first gear shaft, in the housing,

a first spiral gear coupled to the first gear shaft, in the housing,

a second gear shaft, in the housing,

a second spiral gear coupled to the second gear shaft, in the housing,

a fluid connection between a first chamber and a second chamber, and

a hydraulic pump, in fluid connection with the first chamber and the second chamber,

wherein the first spiral gear and the second spiral gear couple to define the first chamber and the second chamber within the housing.

19. The door operator of claim 13, further comprising an output shaft, coupled to the door and either the first gear shaft or the second gear shaft.

21. The door operator of claim 13, further comprising a first bearing, coupled to the first gear shaft, and a second bearing, coupled to the second gear shaft,

wherein the first and second spiral gears are substantially identical,

the first spiral gear includes a first gear valve,

the second spiral gear includes a second gear valve,

the first spiral gear and the first gear shaft comprise a first monolithic component, and

the second spiral gear and the second gear shaft comprise a second monolithic component.

31. A door assembly, comprising:

a door, and

the door operator of claim 13,

wherein the door is coupled to the first spiral gear.

32. The door assembly of claim 31, wherein the door operator is located within the door.

35. A method of operating a door with the door operator of claim 13, comprising:

pumping a fluid into the first chamber, to rotate the first spiral gear and the second spiral gear in a first direction and move the door open; and

pumping the fluid into the second chamber, to move the first spiral gear and the second spiral gear in a second direction, opposite the first direction, and move the door closed.

38. The method of claim 35, wherein the door operator is controlled by a controller.

14-18. -18. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

22. A door closer, for closing a door, comprising:

a housing,

a first gear shaft, in the housing,

a first spiral gear coupled to the first gear shaft, in the housing,

a second gear shaft, in the housing,

a second spiral gear coupled to the second gear shaft, in the housing,

a fluid connection between a first chamber and a second chamber, and

a torsion spring, coupled to the second spiral gear shaft,

wherein the first spiral gear and the second spiral gear couple to define the first chamber and the second chamber within the housing.

30. The door closer of claim 22, further comprising a first bearing, coupled to the first gear shaft, and a second bearing, coupled to the second gear shaft,

wherein the first and second spiral gears are substantially identical,

the first spiral gear includes a first gear valve,

the second spiral gear includes a second gear valve,

the first spiral gear and the first gear shaft comprise a first monolithic component, and

the second spiral gear and the second gear shaft comprise a second monolithic component.

45. A method of operating a door coupled to the door closer of claim 22, comprising:

moving the door from a closed position to an open position, such that movement of the door rotates the first spiral gear and the second spiral gear in a first direction to compress the torsion spring; and

moving the door from the open position to the closed position;

wherein relaxation of the torsion spring rotates the first spiral gear and the second spiral gear in a second direction, opposite the first direction, to move the door from the open position to the closed position.

23-29. -29. (canceled)

33-34. -34. (canceled)

36-37. -37. (canceled)

40-41. -41. (canceled)

44. (canceled)

46-47. -47. (canceled)

48. A door operator, for opening or closing a door, comprising:

a first gear shaft,

a first spiral gear, coupled to the first gear shaft,

a second gear shaft,

a second spiral gear, coupled to the second gear shaft,

an electric motor, coupled to the first gear shaft,

wherein the first spiral gear is coupled to the second spiral gear.

49. A door assembly, comprising:

a door, and

the door operator of claim 48,

wherein the door is coupled to the first spiral gear.

50. (canceled)