Low noise planetary isolator

• US 6,482,119 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2001
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (Aptiv PLC)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (Aptiv PLC)
• Inventors: Bodtker, Joen Christen, Arlt, George E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KRAMER, DEVON C
• Application Number:
  US09/820,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20020142881A1
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 475/331, 744/43, 744/46, 267/136, 267/137
• US Class Current: 475/331
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 55/14 Construction providing resilience or vibration-damping F16H55/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19907 Sound deadening

Abstract

A planet gear includes a toothed portion having an axial bore, a hub disposed within the axial bore such that a space is defined between the hub and the toothed portion, and an elastomeric isolator disposed in the space. A gear is quieter in operation through configuration such that the gear includes a toothed portion having an axial bore and a hub coaxially orientable within the axial bore, and an elastomeric isolator is positioned between the hub and the toothed portion.

Claims

1. A gear, comprising:

a toothed portion having an axial bore;

a hub disposed within said axial bore, said hub being positioned within said axial bore to define a space between said hub and said toothed portion; and

an elastomeric isolator disposed in said space to provide a damping relationship between said toothed portion and said hub, wherein said elastomeric isolator includes a ring having a first dimension and a plurality of spheroids having a second dimension disposed on said ring.

2. The gear of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of spheroids is equally distant to each contiguous spheroid.

3. The gear of claim 1 wherein said first dimension is less than said second dimension.

4. The gear of claim 3 wherein said first dimension is a diameter of a cross section of said ring and said second dimension is a diameter of said spheroid.

5. The gear of claim 1 wherein said toothed portion includes a first groove circumferentially disposed in an inner surface thereof, said first groove providing a surface upon which said elastomer isolator is retained.

6. The gear of claim 1 wherein said hub includes a second groove circumferentially disposed in a peripheral surface thereof, said second groove providing a surface upon which said elastomer isolator is retained.

7. The gear of claim 1 wherein said toothed portion includes a first groove circumferentially disposed in an inner surface thereof and wherein said hub includes a second groove circumferentially disposed in an peripheral surface thereof, said first groove and said second groove providing surfaces upon which said elastomer isolator is retained.

8. The gear of claim 1 wherein said toothed portion includes a plurality of holes circumferentially disposed in an inner surface thereof, said plurality of holes providing a surface upon which said plurality of spheroids are retained.

9. The gear of claim 1 wherein said hub includes a plurality of holes circumferentially disposed in a peripheral surface thereof, said plurality of holes providing a surface upon which said plurality of spheroids are retained.

10. The gear of claim 1 wherein said toothed portion includes a first plurality of holes circumferentially disposed in an inner surface thereof and wherein said hub includes a second plurality of holes aligned with said first plurality of holes circumferentially disposed in a peripheral surface thereof, said first plurality of holes and said second plurality of holes providing surfaces upon which said plurality of spheroids are retained.

11. The gear of claim 1 wherein said elastomer isolator comprises a thermoset material.

12. The gear of claim 11 wherein said thermoset material is selected from the group consisting of nitrile rubber, hydrogenated nitrile rubber, natural rubber, chloroprene rubber, polychloroprene rubber, and silicone rubber.

13. The gear of claim 1 wherein said elastomer comprises a thermoplastic material.

14. A gear, comprising:

a toothed portion laving aln axial bore;

a hub disposed within said axial bore, said hub being positioned within said axial bore to define a space between said hub and said toothed portion;

an elastomeric isolator disposes in said space to provide a damping relationship between said toothed portion and said hub, wherein said elastomeric isolator includes a ring having a first dimension and a plurality of spheroids having a second dimension disposed at said ring, and

wherein said first dimension is less than said second dimension.

15. The gear of claim 14 wherein each of said plurality of spheroids is equally distant to each contiguous spheroid.

16. The gear of claim 14 wherein said first dimension is a diameter of a cross section of said ring and said second dimension is a diameter of said spheroid.

17. The gear of claim 14 wherein said toothed portion includes a first groove circumferentially disposed in an inner surface thereof, said first groove providing a surface upon which said elasomer isolator is retained.

18. The gear of claim 14 wherein said hub includes a second groove circumferentially disposed in a peripheral surface thereof, said second groove providing a surface upon which said elastomer isolator is retained.

19. The gear of claim 14 wherein said toothed portion includes a first groove circumferentially disposed in an inner surface thereof and wherein said hub includes a second groove circumferentially disposed in a peripheral surface thereof, said first groove and said second groove providing surfaces upon which said elastomer isolator is retained.

20. The gear of claim 14 wherein said toothed portion includes a plurality of holes circumferentially disposed in an inner surface thereof, said plurality of holes providing a surface upon which said plurality of spheroids are retained.

21. The gear of claim 14 wherein said hub includes a plurality of holes circumferentially disposed in a peripheral surface thereof, said plurality of holes providing a surface upon which said plurality of spheroids are retained.

22. The gear of claim 14 wherein said toothed portion includes a first plurality of holes circumferentially disposed in an inner surface thereof and wherein said hub includes a second plurality of holes aligned with said first plurality of holes circumferentially disposed in a peripheral surface thereof, said first plurality of holes and said second plurality of holes providing surfaces upon which said plurality of spheroids are retained.

23. The gear of claim 14 wherein said elastomer isolator comprises a thermoset material.

24. The gear of claim 23 wherein said thermoset material is selected from the group consisting of nitrile rubber, hydrogenated nitrile rubber, natural rubber;

chloroprene rubber, polychloroprene rubber, and silicone rubber.

25. The gear of claim 14 wherein said elastomer comprises a thermoplastic material.