Gear wear indicator

• US 6,415,735 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2000
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rogers E. Mark
• Original Assignee: Rogers E. Mark
• Inventors: Rogers, E. Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Gutierrez, Diego
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US09/540,074
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 116/208, 116/200, 116/201, 116/1, 116/DIG.1, 403/27, 744/57, 464/23, 464/157
• US Class Current: 116/208
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2300/18 Sensors; Details or arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2300/20 Auxiliary indicators or alarms
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 3/185 radial teeth connecting concentric inner and outer coupling parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 116/01 Combined with diverse elements

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a gear wear indicator. The gear wear indicator comprises at least one indicator tooth where the indicator tooth comprises a cavity. An indicator element is located within the cavity and is visually altered when the cavity is ruptured. A viewing port is provided for viewing the indicator element in the cavity.

Claims

1. A gear comprising a gear wear indicator wherein said gear wear indicator comprises:

at least one indicator tooth wherein said indicator tooth comprises a cavity comprising an indicator element and said indicator element is visually altered when said cavity is ruptured;

a viewing port for viewing said indicator element in said cavity.

2. The gear of claim 1 wherein said indicator element is a substance which departs from said cavity when said cavity ruptures.

3. The gear of claim 2 wherein said substance is chosen from a group consisting of a liquid and a gas.

4. The gear of claim 1 wherein said indicator element comprises at least one substance chosen from a group consisting of a low molecular weight halogenated hydrocarbon, a low molecular weight perhalogenated alkane and a low molecular weight perhalogenated alkene.

5. The gear of claim 4 wherein said indicator element is chosen from a group consisting of halogenated methane, halogenated ethane and halogenated propane.

6. The gear of claim 1 wherein said indicator element is a cavity wall.

7. The gear of claim 1 wherein said indicator element is a physical structure.

8. The gear of claim 7 wherein said cavity comprises an upper chamber and a lower chamber.

9. A gear comprising a gear wear indicator wherein said gear wear indicator comprises:

at least one indicator tooth wherein said indicator tooth comprises a cavity comprising an indicator element and said indicator element is visually altered when said cavity is ruptured;

a viewing port for viewing said indicator element in said cavity;

wherein said indicator element is a physical structure;

wherein said cavity comprises an upper chamber and a lower chamber; and

further comprising a membrane between said upper chamber and said lower chamber.

10. The gear of claim 9 wherein said membrane comprises aluminum.

11. A gear comprising a gear wear indicator wherein said gear wear indicator comprises:

at least one indicator tooth wherein said indicator tooth comprises a cavity comprising an indicator element wherein said indicator element departs from said cavity when said cavity is ruptured; and

a viewing port for viewing said cavity.

12. The gear of claim 11 wherein said indicator element is chosen from a group consisting of a liquid and gas.

13. The gear of claim 11 wherein said indicator element comprises at least one substance chosen from a group consisting of a low molecular weight halogenated hydrocarbon, a low molecular weight halogenated alkane and a low molecular weight halogenated alkene.

14. The gear of claim 13 wherein said indicator element is chosen from a group consisting of halogenated methane, halogenated ethane and halogenated propane.

15. A gear comprising a gear wear indicator wherein said gear wear indicator comprises:

at least one indicator tooth wherein said indicator tooth comprises a cavity wherein said cavity comprises an upper chamber and a lower chamber;

a membrane between said upper chamber and said lower chamber; and

a viewing port for viewing said membrane.

16. The gear of claim 15 wherein said membrane comprises aluminum.

17. The gear of claim 15 further comprising a ring in said upper chamber.

18. The gear of claim 17 wherein said ring comprises a void and said viewing port is received in said void.

19. A gear comprising a gear wear indicator wherein said gear wear indicator comprises:

at least one indicator tooth wherein said indicator tooth comprises a cavity with at least one cavity wall and said cavity comprises a substance selected from a group consisting of a liquid and a gas wherein said substance exits said cavity when said cavity wall is ruptured;

a viewing port for viewing said substance in said cavity.